Fabrication of Yb:Sc2O3 laser ceramics by vacuum sintering co-precipitated nano-powders

Abstract Ytterbium doped scandium oxide (Yb:Sc2O3) nano-powders were synthesized by a co-precipitation method. Ammonium hydrogen carbonate (NH4HCO3) and ammonia sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) were used in the precipitation process as the precipitant and dispersing agent, respectively. Structural properties and morphology of the precursor and nano-powders were investigated by BET, XRD, and SEM measurements. Ultra-fine and low agglomerated 5 at%Yb:Sc2O3 powders with the average particle size of 86 nm were obtained after calcination of the precipitate at 1100 °C for 5 h, that was found to be the optimal temperature for preparation of 5 at%Sc2O3 powders for further sintering. 5 at%Yb:Sc2O3 transparent ceramics with in-line transmittance of 73.9% at 1100 nm and average grain size of 182 μm were fabricated by vacuum sintering of the optimal powder at 1850 °C for 10 h. The microstructure, the spectroscopic properties and the gain characteristics of obtained 5 at%Yb:Sc2O3 ceramics were also studied and discussed.