Mo₂TiAlC₂ as a Saturable Absorber for a Passively Q-Switched Tm:YAlO₃ Laser.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Laser Physics

Background:

• Two-dimensional (2D) layered MAX phase materials are gaining attention for optoelectronic applications.
• MAX phase materials possess unique characteristics suitable for advanced photonic devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize a novel Mo2TiAlC2 MAX phase material as a saturable absorber (SA).
• To investigate the nonlinear optical absorption properties of Mo2TiAlC2 for passively Q-switching (PQS) lasers.
• To evaluate the performance of a Mo2TiAlC2-based SA in a Tm:YAP nanosecond laser system.

Main Methods:

• Spin-coating method was used to prepare the Mo2TiAlC2 material into a thin film SA.
• Nonlinear optical absorption properties were characterized using a Tm:YAlO3 (Tm:YAP) nanosecond laser.
• Structural and compositional analysis confirmed the material's stability and uniformity.

Main Results:

• The Mo2TiAlC2 SA enabled stable PQS operation in the Tm:YAP laser.
• An average output power of 292 mW was achieved at a central wavelength of 1931.2 nm.
• A narrow pulse duration of 242.9 ns was obtained at a repetition frequency of 47.07 kHz, setting a new record for MAX phase SAs.

Conclusions:

• The Mo2TiAlC2 MAX phase ceramic material demonstrates excellent saturable absorption properties.
• This material shows significant potential as an effective modulator for ultrafast nonlinear photonic applications.
• The developed SA contributes to advancements in PQS solid-state laser technology.