Nonlinear optical property and application of yttrium oxide in erbium-doped fiber lasers

Yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) has garnered some attention in view of its potential to be integrated into a wide range of high-strength structural components, microelectronic and optoelectronic devices. However, the nonlinear optical research of this promising material has not been implemented yet. In this paper, not only the electronic band structures of Y₂O₃ are theoretically calculated but also the optical nonlinearity of Y₂O₃ is validated by using the fiber laser as a platform. Meanwhile, the influence of sample thickness on laser performance is further explored by using Y₂O₃ saturable absorbers with different thickness. Results indicate that Y₂O₃ not only has impressive optical nonlinearity but also is beneficial to the investigation of ultrafast photons by adjusting the thickness of Y₂O₃. Therefore, Y₂O₃ can be used as a potential saturable absorber candidate for in-depth research and application.