Fluoride transparent ceramics for solid-state lasers: A review

Fluoride laser ceramics, which are employed as amplification media in solid-state lasers, have attracted considerable attention because of their excellent optical properties combined with other material parameters important for these applications, making them highly versatile materials. 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. 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 and as a source of the latest information for experienced professionals who are already continuing preimplementation work in this area.