Rare-earth doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) ceramics are among the most widely produced transparent ceramics for laser applications. Yb:YAG ceramics are an interesting IR laser material [1], which allows significantly higher doping compared to the generally more used Nd:YAG [2, 3]. This work presents the preparation of polycrystalline Yb:YAG ceramics with dopant concentration from 0 up to 20 at.% via solid state reactive sintering. Samples were prepared via cold isostatic pressing of spray dried mixture of pure oxide powders with TEOS as a sintering aid. Sintering was conducted under high vacuum and clean atmosphere. Samples with optical transmittance higher than 80 % were prepared (see Fig. 1) and their laser performance was examined. The effect of Yb on both the optical properties (transmittance) and mechanical properties (tensile modulus and hardness) was studied. The crucial factor affecting the optical properties of transparent ceramics is the potential presence of other phases or pores [4]. Final microstructure of prepared samples was thus analyzed via optical and scanning electron microscopy and EDS. In addition, high-temperature behavior was studied, so that the important and critical preparation steps, which affect the final microstructure, and thus the optical as well as laser properties, could be selected and optimized.
Preparation and Characterization of Yb doped YAG Ceramics
L Esposito;D Alderighi;A Pirri
2011
Abstract
Rare-earth doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) ceramics are among the most widely produced transparent ceramics for laser applications. Yb:YAG ceramics are an interesting IR laser material [1], which allows significantly higher doping compared to the generally more used Nd:YAG [2, 3]. This work presents the preparation of polycrystalline Yb:YAG ceramics with dopant concentration from 0 up to 20 at.% via solid state reactive sintering. Samples were prepared via cold isostatic pressing of spray dried mixture of pure oxide powders with TEOS as a sintering aid. Sintering was conducted under high vacuum and clean atmosphere. Samples with optical transmittance higher than 80 % were prepared (see Fig. 1) and their laser performance was examined. The effect of Yb on both the optical properties (transmittance) and mechanical properties (tensile modulus and hardness) was studied. The crucial factor affecting the optical properties of transparent ceramics is the potential presence of other phases or pores [4]. Final microstructure of prepared samples was thus analyzed via optical and scanning electron microscopy and EDS. In addition, high-temperature behavior was studied, so that the important and critical preparation steps, which affect the final microstructure, and thus the optical as well as laser properties, could be selected and optimized.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
