PREPARATION OF TRANSPARENT CERAMIC Nd:YAG WITH MgO AS ADDITIVE

摘要

In this paper, high quality Nd:YAG nanopowders with different amounts of MgO (0～0.4 wt %) as additive were synthesized by alcohol-water solvent co-precipitation method. Transparent Nd:YAG ceramics were successfully fabricated by vacuum sintering at 1780°C for 10 hours using the powders. Surfaces morphologies of thermally etched Nd:YAG ceramics was observed by means of SEM. Optical transmittance of the transparent Nd:YAG ceramics was measured over the wavelength region from 400nm to 850nm. Few pores and defects of transparent Nd:YAG ceramics were observed and the optical transmittance of them reached 80% in the visible-near infrared range. The effect of MgO on the sintering of transparent ceramic was investigated and the sintering mechanism was discussed. The results showed that MgO as sintering additive can restrain abnormal grain growth and reduce pores in grains and consequently enhance optical transmittance of ceramics. The optimal weight percentage of added MgO can be determined as 0.2 wt %.