Fluoride transparent ceramics for solid-state lasers: A review

Fluoride laser ceramics, employed as amplification medium in solid-state lasers, have attracted considerable attention due to their excellent optical properties combined with other material parameters important for these applications, making them a largely versatile material. In this review, the fabrication and properties of fluoride laser ceramics, including CaF₂, SrF₂ and BaF₂ ceramics, are comprehensively investigated. As the state-of-art analysis shows, while some ceramic materials of this type have shown promising properties suitable for practical applications, most still require further research in the field of basic research as well. Specifically, this article reviews the state of research, identifies issues and prevailing challenges, and outlines development trends for fluoride ceramics for solid-state laser applications. The information gathered here is an important compendium of knowledge both for researchers seeking to work in this field of science, as well as a source of the latest information for experienced professionals who are already continuing pre-implementation work in this area.