Y3Al5O12

Y3Al5O12, commonly known as yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG), is a synthetic crystalline material in the garnet family. It forms a cubic garnet structure and serves as a versatile host lattice for optical and electronic applications.

YAG is produced by combining yttria (Y2O3) with aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and heating to high temperatures to form a dense crystalline material. Single crystals are grown by methods such as the Czochralski process; YAG can also be processed as dense polycrystalline ceramics for various optical uses.

The material offers broad optical transparency from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared, a relatively high refractive index, good thermal stability, and substantial mechanical hardness. It is chemically inert and can withstand high optical intensities, attributes that contribute to its suitability as an optical host and as a component in high-power laser systems and other photonic devices. YAG also serves as a durable, heat-resistant substrate for certain devices and as a scintillator when doped with activator ions.

A major application is as a laser host material when doped with rare-earth ions. Nd3+-doped YAG (Nd:YAG) lasers emit near 1064 nm and are widely used in industry and medicine. Other dopants, such as Er3+, Ho3+, Cr4+, and Yb3+, yield additional laser transitions (Er:YAG, Ho:YAG, Cr:YAG, Yb:YAG). Ce-doped YAG is a widely used scintillator for radiation detection and medical imaging. YAG is also made as ceramic and composite forms for high-power optical components and specialty abrasive applications.