AbstractIon exchanged ß“-aluminas display a number of interesting optical properties which suggest that the material is well suited for application as a solid state laser host. Small platelets of Nd3+ Ion exchanged β“-alumina exhibit laser action with gain coefficients many times greater than YAG. The versatility of the ion exchange process enables one to form a wide variety of compounds with different active ions and concentrations, thereby allowing the study of many different effects within a single host crystal.
