Ion slicing of Nd:YAG laser ceramics on sapphire platform and its waveguide amplifier design at 1064 nm

Combined with modern microfabrication techniques, thinning laser crystals into laser gain films with a thickness of several hundred nanometers provides a promising approach for high-power on-chip amplifiers and lasers. However, the fabrication of such films still faces challenges in precise thickness control, scalability, and optical loss control. Here, we report a method for preparing submicron-thick laser gain films using Nd:YAG ceramics. By optimizing the ion implantation and annealing processes, we developed an optimal stepwise annealing strategy from 400 °C to 900 °C. This enabled the successful transfer of an Nd:YAG ceramic film with lateral dimensions of several hundred micrometers onto a sapphire substrate. The transferred film was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence imaging, and spectroscopy, confirming its structural integrity and favorable luminescent properties. Based on the newly constructed Nd:YAG-on-sapphire (NYOS) platform, we designed a Si3N4 waveguide amplifier operating at 1064 nm. Simulations indicate that this device can achieve a peak gain of approximately 25 dB at 1064 nm over a waveguide length of 12 cm. This work demonstrates the feasibility of preparing ceramic films via ion slicing and provides a promising strategy for developing silicon-integrated Nd:YAG optical amplifiers.