Fabrication and properties of Er/Tm/Pr tri-doped yttrium lanthanum oxide transparent ceramics

摘要

Er/Tm/Pr tri-doped yttrium lanthanum oxide transparent ceramics were fabricated by conventional ceramics processing. Their microstructures and spectroscopic properties were investigated. The energy transfer mechanism between Tm~(3+), Pr~(3+) and Er~(3+) was also discussed. The Er/Tm/Pr:(Y_(0.9)La_(0.1)_2O_3 ceramics display a dense structure with no pores and uniform grains of about 40 urn. The results shows that population inversion between the ~4I_(11/2)and ~4I_(13/2) level of Er:(Y_(0.9)La_(0.1))_2O_3 transparent ceramics is enhanced by co-doping Tm~(3+) and low amount of Pr~(3+) (0.5 at.%). When concentration of Pr~(3+) ions is high (2 at.%), 2.7 u.m emission is restrained significantly due to the concentration quenching of Pr~(3+) ions. This Er/Tm/Pr tri-doped yttrium lanthanum oxide transparent ceramics can be considered as a promising material for mid-infrared lasers.