Highly Nd3+-doped Y3Al5O12 crystal fiber tip for laser thermotherapy.

Based on phonon relaxation, a 12-at. % neodymium-doped YAG (Y3AlrO12) crystal fiber tip has been developed for photothermal conversion. The near-cylindrical tip, with an average diameter of 0.68 mm and a length of 1.8 mm, is fabricated on a 0.65-mm-thick 220-mm-long pure YAG single-crystal fiber by laser-heated growth. Pumped by an 810-nm wavelength diode laser with a pump power of less than 2 W, the temperatures of the tip reach 725 degrees C in air, 78 degrees C in egg white, and 79 degrees C in porcine liver, with acceptable reproducibilities and thermal response times. The photothermal conversion efficiency of the doped tip is approximately 89%, and the high stability of the tip is also proved. Experimental results show that the doped fiber tip is promising for laser thermotherapy applications.