Sc_(2)O_(3),as a host for solid-state laser gain materials,has advantage of high thermal conductivity and easy matching with activating ions,which is promising in high-power laser applications.Currently,Yb-doped Sc_(2...Sc_(2)O_(3),as a host for solid-state laser gain materials,has advantage of high thermal conductivity and easy matching with activating ions,which is promising in high-power laser applications.Currently,Yb-doped Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics have been fabricated at very high sintering temperatures,but their optical quality and sintering process still need further improvement.In this work,5%Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3)(in mass)nano-powders were obtained by co-precipitation,and then transparent ceramics were fabricated by vacuum pre-sintering and hot isostatic pressing(HIP)post-treatment.The cubic Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) nano-powders with good dispersity and an average crystallite of 29 nm were obtained.Influence of pre-sintering temperatures(1500-1700℃)on densification process,microstructure changes,and optical transmittance of Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics was detected.Experimental data revealed that all samples have a uniform microstructure,while the average grain sizes increase with the increase of the sintering temperatures.Impressively,the optimum in-line transmittance of Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics,pre-sintered at 1550℃after HIP post-treatment,reaches 78.1%(theoretical value of 80%)at 1100 nm.Spectroscopic properties of the Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics reveal that the minimum population inversion parameterβ2 and the luminescence decay time of 5%Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics are 0.041 and 0.49 ms,respectively,which demonstrate that the optical quality of the Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) has been improved.Meanwhile,their best vacuum sintering temperature can be controlled down to a lower temperature(1550℃).In conclusion,Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) nano-powders are successfully synthesized by co-precipitation method,and good optical quality transparent ceramics are fabricated by vacuum pre-sintering at 1550℃and HIP post-treatment.展开更多
基金National Key R&D Program of China(2023YFE3812005)International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(121631KYSB20200039)+1 种基金National Center for Research and Development(WPC2/1/SCAPOL/2021)Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Fellowship Initiative(2024VEA0005,2024VEA0014)。
文摘Sc_(2)O_(3),as a host for solid-state laser gain materials,has advantage of high thermal conductivity and easy matching with activating ions,which is promising in high-power laser applications.Currently,Yb-doped Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics have been fabricated at very high sintering temperatures,but their optical quality and sintering process still need further improvement.In this work,5%Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3)(in mass)nano-powders were obtained by co-precipitation,and then transparent ceramics were fabricated by vacuum pre-sintering and hot isostatic pressing(HIP)post-treatment.The cubic Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) nano-powders with good dispersity and an average crystallite of 29 nm were obtained.Influence of pre-sintering temperatures(1500-1700℃)on densification process,microstructure changes,and optical transmittance of Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics was detected.Experimental data revealed that all samples have a uniform microstructure,while the average grain sizes increase with the increase of the sintering temperatures.Impressively,the optimum in-line transmittance of Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics,pre-sintered at 1550℃after HIP post-treatment,reaches 78.1%(theoretical value of 80%)at 1100 nm.Spectroscopic properties of the Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics reveal that the minimum population inversion parameterβ2 and the luminescence decay time of 5%Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) ceramics are 0.041 and 0.49 ms,respectively,which demonstrate that the optical quality of the Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) has been improved.Meanwhile,their best vacuum sintering temperature can be controlled down to a lower temperature(1550℃).In conclusion,Yb:Sc_(2)O_(3) nano-powders are successfully synthesized by co-precipitation method,and good optical quality transparent ceramics are fabricated by vacuum pre-sintering at 1550℃and HIP post-treatment.