Neodymium doped-yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd∶YAG) transparent polycrystalline ceramics already become substitutes of single crystals because they are provided with easy fabrication, low cost, large size, highly doped concentration, high heat conductivity, mass fabrication, multi-layers and multi-functions. The Nd∶YAG precursor powders with loosely dispersed, slightly agglomerated, super fine and YAG cubic crystal phase were synthesized at 1100 ℃ by the homogeneous precipitation method, using Nd2O3, Y2O3, Al(NO3)3·9H2O and urea as raw materials, (NH4)2SO4 as electrical stabilizer, TEOS as sintering additive. The Nd∶YAG transparent ceramics were prepared after being vacuum sintered at 1700 ℃ for 5 h. The Nd∶YAG ceramic materials were characterized by the TG-DTA, XRD, FT-IR, TEM, FEG-ESEM and FT-PL. The results show that the crystallization temperature of YAG is 850 ℃ and the intermediate crystal phase YAP forming during the heat treatment transforms to YAG cubic crystal phase at 1050 ℃. The lasing wavelength of (Nd 0.01 Y 0.99 )3Al5O 12 transparent ceramics is 1.065 μm and there exists a slight red-shift compared to the single crystal with the same chemical composition. The optical transmittance is 45% in the visible light and 58% in the near infrared light and the optical transmittance descends with the decreasing the wavelength.
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