Preparation And Properties Of Rare-earth Ions Doped YAG Transparent Laser Ceramics

With the development of high power solid lasers，the application restrictionsof traditional laser materials (crystal and glass) have been recognized, such aslong production cycle, high cost, the low doping concentration in crystals andlow thermal properties with glasses. Compared with crystals and glasses, thetransparent ceramics have been developed for their numerous advantages:excellent optical uniformity, excellent mechanical properties, outstanding thermalproperties, high doping concentration, short period, low cost et al.This paper mainly focused on the preparation and properties of YAGtransparent ceramics. In this work，transparent YAG laser ceramics and rare earthions doped YAG transparent ceramics were fabricated by solid-state reaction andvacuum sintering technology using TEOS and MgO as sintering aids. And thenthe phase structure, densiifcation, microstructure, optical transmittance as well aslaser performance of sintered ceramics were investigated elaborately.The1.0at%Yb:YAG transparent ceramic sample sintered at1750°C for5Ohexhibiteshowsd favorable excellent optical transmittance and homogeneity. AndAnd the sample had favorable optical transmittance and homogeneity. The opticaltransmittances were are84.1%at1064nm and above82.0%at400nmrespectively. Moreover, the optical transmittances of The the0~lat%Nd:YAGtransparent ceramic samples sintered at1750.C for50h，the optical transmittanceswereare84.2%at1064nm and above81.8%at400nm,respectively. Thelarge-size and high-quality transparent ceramics with large-size and high-qualitywere prepared successfully prepared, which and it is conducive to the realizationof high-efficiency，and high power laser output of Nd: YAG transparent ceramics.In addition，a series of2at%Nd; YAG transparent ceramics with the thickness about1mm were fabricated by dry pressing or cold isostatic pressingfollowed by vacuum sintering. The Influence of the dry pressing and coldisostatic pressing processes on the microstructures and the optical properties ofNd:YAG transparent ceramics were also discussed.