Effect of composition deviation on the microstructure and luminescence properties of Nd:YAG ceramics

Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) ceramics with different Al2O3/Y2O3 deviation levels were prepared using a solid-state reaction-vacuum sintering method. Transparent ceramics were obtained with their composition in between stoichiometric Nd: YAG Y2.97Nd0.03Al5O12 and 2% Y2O3 excess Nd: YAG Y2.97Nd0.03Al5O12.2%Y2O3. The stoichiometric Nd: YAG ceramic obtains a homogeneous grain microstructure and clean grain boundaries. Non-stoichiometric compositions lead to ceramic microstructures different from that of the stoichiometric Nd: YAG. Nanograins of excess Al2O3 remain inside the Nd: YAG grains in Al2O3-excess ceramics, while Y-rich compounds recrystallize at the Nd: YAG grain boundaries in Y2O3-excess ceramics. Photoluminescence spectra of the sintered ceramics around 808 and 1064 nm were also studied. Peak positions of their luminescence spectra are little affected by composition deviation, while their intensity evidently declines due to the existence of a second phase arising from the composition deviation. The results of this work can contribute toward the controllable synthesis of highly transparent YAG ceramics and further exploration of the Nd ion spectra.

[1]  M. Ivanov,et al.  Effects of ball milling time on microstructure evolution and optical transparency of Nd:YAG ceramics , 2014 .

[2]  B. Liu,et al.  Mechanism of Intrinsic Point Defects and Oxygen Diffusion in Yttrium Aluminum Garnet: First-Principles Investigation , 2012 .

[3]  Hong Liu,et al.  Yttrium aluminum garnet Nanoparticles with low antisite Defects studied with neutron and X-ray diffraction , 2012 .

[4]  Yan Lin Aung,et al.  Ceramic laser materials , 2008 .

[5]  R. Feigelson,et al.  Mechanisms of nonstoichiometry in Y3Al5O12 , 2008 .

[6]  Yan Lin Aung,et al.  PROGRESS IN CERAMIC LASERS , 2006 .

[7]  R. Pandey,et al.  Atomistic Modeling of Native Point Defects in Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Crystals , 2004 .

[8]  Ken-ichi Ueda,et al.  Neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12) nanocrystalline ceramics—a new generation of solid state laser and optical materials , 2002 .

[9]  S. Baccaro,et al.  Refractive index and absorption length of YAP: Ce scintillation crystal and reflectance of the coating used in YAP : Ce single-crystal matrix , 1998 .

[10]  Akio Ikesue,et al.  Effects of Neodymium Concentration on Optical Characteristics of Polycrystalline Nd:YAG Laser Materials , 1996 .

[11]  J. Tanaka,et al.  Effect of Composition on the Oxygen Tracer Diffusion in Transparent Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (YAG) Ceramics , 1996 .

[12]  Akio Ikesue,et al.  Fabrication and Optical Properties of High‐Performance Polycrystalline Nd:YAG Ceramics for Solid‐State Lasers , 1995 .

[13]  H. Haneda,et al.  Oxygen diffusion in single crystal yttrium aluminum garnet , 1984 .

[14]  J. Geusic,et al.  LASER OSCILLATIONS IN Nd‐DOPED YTTRIUM ALUMINUM, YTTRIUM GALLIUM AND GADOLINIUM GARNETS , 1964 .

[15]  Akio Ikesue,et al.  Fabrication of Polycrystal line, Transparent YAG Ceramics by a Solid‐State Reaction Method , 1995 .

[16]  Michael Bass,et al.  Handbook of optics , 1995 .

[17]  T. Yanagitani,et al.  Induced emission cross section of Nd:Y3Al5O12 ceramics , 1990 .