Ti:Sapphire Laser Crystals
Ti:Sapphire laser crystal, also known as titanium-doped sapphire or Ti:Sa, is a broadly tunable gain medium used for femtosecond lasers, ultrafast oscillators, regenerative amplifiers, tunable CW lasers, and spectroscopy systems. It offers a wide tuning range in the red and near-infrared region, strong blue-green pump absorption, short fluorescence lifetime, and the mechanical stability of the sapphire host. ATR Crystal supplies custom Ti:Sapphire crystals with specified FOM, Ti2O3 concentration, flat-flat or Brewster end configuration, AR/HR coating, surface quality, clear aperture, and dimensions for research and OEM laser systems.
Built around your specification
- Material
- Ti:Sapphire / Ti3+:Al2O3
- Orientation
- Optical axis C normal to the rod axis, or custom orientation according to cavity design
- Ti2O3 concentration
- 0.03-0.25 wt%; final concentration to be confirmed by absorption and FOM requirement
- Figure of merit, FOM
- 100-250, or higher values upon customer request and material availability
Final specifications and acceptance criteria are confirmed for the quoted configuration.
Request a quotationOverview
Ti:Sapphire Laser Crystal for Ultrafast and Tunable Lasers
Ti:Sapphire laser crystal, also written as Ti:Sa or titanium-doped sapphire, is a broadly tunable solid-state laser gain medium used for femtosecond lasers, ultrafast oscillators, regenerative amplifiers, tunable CW lasers, spectroscopy systems, and research laser platforms.
Ti:Sapphire combines the mechanical and thermal stability of sapphire with a broad vibronic emission band. It is commonly pumped in the blue-green spectral region and can support wide tunability around the red and near-infrared range. For ultrafast systems, crystal quality, figure of merit, absorption coefficient, orientation, end geometry, coating, and thermal handling are critical to stable output.
ATR Crystal supplies Ti:Sapphire crystals with custom Ti2O3 concentration, FOM, dimensions, flat-flat or Brewster-Brewster end configurations, polishing, coating, clear aperture, and inspection requirements. For related laser materials, review our laser crystal category, Yb:YAG crystal, Nd:YVO4 crystal, Nd:YAG crystal, and Cr:YAG passive Q-switch crystal.
Advantages of Ti:Sapphire Laser Crystal
- Broad tunabilityTi:Sapphire supports wide laser tuning in the red and near-infrared region, making it one of the most important gain media for tunable lasers.
- Ultrafast pulse supportThe broad emission bandwidth enables femtosecond pulse generation and amplification in properly designed laser cavities.
- Sapphire host stabilityThe sapphire host provides high hardness, high melting point, good thermal behavior, and strong mechanical stability.
- Blue-green pump compatibilityTi:Sapphire is commonly pumped in the 400-600 nm absorption band, with strong absorption near the blue-green region.
- FOM selectionFigure of merit can be specified according to absorption, loss, fluorescence, and system performance requirements.
- Custom end geometryFlat-flat and Brewster-Brewster end configurations, custom coatings, and drawing-defined geometry can be reviewed for oscillator and amplifier designs.
Related selection guide
Specifications
Specifications of Ti:Sapphire Laser Crystal
The following values summarize typical Ti:Sapphire laser crystal specifications. Final values should be confirmed according to FOM, absorption coefficient, end configuration, coating, and inspection criteria.
| Parameter | Typical Value / Option |
|---|---|
| Material | Ti:Sapphire / Ti3+:Al2O3 |
| Orientation | Optical axis C normal to the rod axis, or custom orientation according to cavity design |
| Ti2O3 concentration | 0.03-0.25 wt%; final concentration to be confirmed by absorption and FOM requirement |
| Figure of merit, FOM | 100-250, or higher values upon customer request and material availability |
| End configuration | Flat / flat or Brewster / Brewster ends |
| Flatness | lambda/8 to lambda/10 at 633 nm |
| Parallelism | <= 10 arcsec |
| Surface finishing | 10/5 scratch-dig, MIL-O-13830A |
| Clear aperture | >90% |
| Chamfer | <0.1 mm at 45 degrees |
| Size | Custom size upon customer request |
| Coating | AR or HR coating upon customer request |
| Damage threshold | About 750 MW/cm2 at 1064 nm, TEM00, 10 ns, 10 Hz; confirm test basis for final acceptance |
| Quality warranty period | One year under proper use, subject to final sales terms |
Optical and Spectral Properties of Ti:Sapphire
Typical optical and spectral values for Ti:Sapphire. Final laser performance depends on pump source, FOM, crystal length, coating, cooling, cavity design, and test method.
Reference cross sections depend on wavelength, polarization and measurement method. The 532 nm and 490 nm entries below describe pump absorption. Specify the absorption coefficient at your pump wavelength and the required polarization when ordering.
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Absorption range | 400-600 nm |
| Tuning range | 660-1050 nm, with broader ranges possible in specific laser designs |
| Emission peak | Approx. 795 nm |
| Absorption peak | Approx. 488 nm |
| Absorption cross section at peak wavelength | Approx. 38 x 10^-20 cm2 |
| Absorption cross section at 532 nm (π-polarized reference) | Approx. 4.9 x 10^-20 cm2 |
| Absorption cross section at 490 nm (π-polarized reference) | Approx. 6.4 x 10^-20 cm2 |
| Emission cross section at 790 nm | Approx. 41 x 10^-20 cm2 |
| dn/dT | Approx. 13 x 10^-6 K^-1 |
| Thermal conductivity | Typical supplier values around 33 W/(m K); some data sources report higher values depending on measurement condition |
| Laser action | 4-level vibronic |
| Fluorescence lifetime | Approx. 3.2 us at 300 K |
| Refractive index | Approx. 1.76 at 800 nm |
Physical Properties of Ti:Sapphire Crystal
Typical physical properties for Ti:Sapphire material review.
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical formula | Ti3+:Al2O3 |
| Crystal structure | Hexagonal, a = 4.758 A, c = 12.991 A |
| Density | Approx. 3.98 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | Approx. 2040 C |
| Mohs hardness | 9 |
Ti:Sapphire vs. Related Laser Crystals
Ti:Sapphire is selected when broad tunability, femtosecond pulse generation, and red to near-infrared operation are required. Other laser crystals may be more suitable for fixed-wavelength industrial lasers, high-power diode-pumped systems, compact DPSS modules, or passive Q-switching.
| Crystal | Role | Key Wavelength / Range | Best Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ti:Sapphire | Tunable gain medium | About 660-1050 nm tuning range | Femtosecond, ultrafast, tunable, spectroscopy, and research laser systems |
| Yb:YAG | Gain medium | 1030 nm class | High-power diode-pumped, thin-disk, and ultrafast laser systems |
| Nd:YAG | Gain medium | 1064 nm class | Mature CW, pulsed, Q-switched, industrial, medical, and research lasers |
| Nd:YVO4 | Gain medium | 1064 / 1342 / 914 nm class | Compact diode-pumped lasers and 532 nm green DPSS systems |
| Cr:YAG | Passive Q-switch | About 950-1100 nm absorption range | Passive Q-switched Nd and Yb laser cavities |
| Er:YAG | Gain medium | 2940 nm | Medical, dental, aesthetic, and water-absorption laser systems |
Applications
Applications of Ti:Sapphire Laser Crystal
Femtosecond and ultrafast laser oscillators
Ti:Sapphire regenerative amplifiers and CPA systems
Broadly tunable CW and pulsed laser systems
Ultrafast spectroscopy, pump-probe, and nonlinear optics research
OPO pumping and wavelength-extension laser platforms
Laboratory laser cavities, prototypes, and OEM optical modules
Design Notes for Ti:Sapphire Laser Systems
Ti:Sapphire laser design should consider pump wavelength, absorption coefficient, crystal length, FOM, cooling method, cavity dispersion, mode size, coating bandwidth, and whether the system is an oscillator, amplifier, or tunable CW source. For femtosecond systems, dispersion management, mirror coating bandwidth, surface quality, and thermal handling are especially important.
Flat-flat ends may be selected for coated cavity designs, while Brewster-Brewster ends are often considered when polarization and reflection loss management are important. The proper crystal size, Ti concentration, and FOM should be chosen according to pump power, beam diameter, required gain, and allowable loss.
For a comparison of gain materials, operating wavelengths and end configurations, see our laser crystal selection guide.
Ordering
How to Request a Ti:Sapphire Crystal Quotation
Providing the following information helps ATR Crystal review the design and quote more accurately.
| RFQ Item | Information to Provide |
|---|---|
| Laser application | Oscillator, amplifier, tunable CW laser, spectroscopy source, OPO pump, or custom research system. |
| Material requirement | Ti2O3 concentration, target FOM, absorption coefficient, and acceptable loss level. |
| Geometry | Diameter or rectangular size, length, clear aperture, end configuration, Brewster angle if required, and drawing. |
| Optical specification | Flatness, parallelism, scratch-dig, wavefront distortion, coating bandwidth, and damage threshold requirement. |
| Laser design | Pump wavelength, pump power, output wavelength range, pulse duration, cavity type, cooling method, and beam size. |
| Order information | Prototype quantity, batch quantity, inspection criteria, packaging requirement, and delivery schedule. |
Use the inquiry form below or email your drawing, pump wavelength, FOM or absorption requirement, end configuration, coating and quantity to sales@atrscintillator.com. Final dimensions, material specifications and acceptance tests are confirmed for the quoted configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ti:Sapphire crystal used for?
What is the tuning range of Ti:Sapphire?
For a quotation, state the required wavelength interval and assign the coating bandwidth to each optical face. Ask for the proposed component specification to identify that interval explicitly, rather than using the material tuning range as the acceptance requirement.
What pump wavelengths are used for Ti:Sapphire?
What does FOM mean for Ti:Sapphire?
What information is needed for a Ti:Sapphire quotation?
How should Brewster-cut and normally incident Ti:Sapphire end faces be specified?
State the required end configuration on the drawing, including face angles, beam direction and polarization convention. Assign any coating requirements to the actual faces and operating angles. A Brewster-cut part and a part intended for normal incidence should not be treated as interchangeable solely because their overall length and aperture are similar.
Request a quotation
Send your application and specification requirements directly from this page.
Prefer email? Send your drawing or specification sheet to:
sales@atrscintillator.com