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Fabrication and Luminescent Properties of Nd 3+ ‐Doped Lu 2 O 3 Transparent Ceramics by Pressureless Sintering
Author(s) -
Zhou Ding,
Shi Ying,
Xie Jianjun,
Ren Yuying,
Yun Ping
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2009.03190.x
Subject(s) - materials science , transparent ceramics , ceramic , analytical chemistry (journal) , sintering , hot isostatic pressing , thermogravimetric analysis , calcination , nanocrystalline material , differential thermal analysis , luminescence , mineralogy , composite material , optics , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , diffraction , chemistry , biochemistry , physics , chromatography , engineering , catalysis
The fabrication of transparent Nd 3+ ion‐doped Lu 2 O 3 ceramics is investigated by pressureless sintering under a flowing H 2 atmosphere. The starting Nd‐doped Lu 2 O 3 nanocrystalline powder is synthesized by a modified coprecipitant processing using a NH 4 OH+NH 4 HCO 3 mixed solution as the precipitant. The thermal decomposition behavior of the precipitate precursor is studied by thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis. After calcination at 1000°C for 2 h, monodispersed Nd 3+ :Lu 2 O 3 powder is obtained with a primary particle size of about 40 nm and a specific surface area of 13.7 m 2 /g. Green compacts, free of additives, are formed from the as‐synthesized powder by dry pressing followed by cold isostatic pressing. Highly transparent Nd 3+ :Lu 2 O 3 ceramics are obtained after being sintered under a dry H 2 atmosphere at 1880°C for 8 h. The linear optical transmittance of the polished transparent samples with a 1.4 mm thickness reaches 75.5% at the wavelength of 1080 nm. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy observations demonstrate a “clear” grain boundary between adjacent grains. The luminescent spectra showed that the absorption coefficient of the 3 at.% Nd‐doped Lu 2 O 3 ceramic at 807 nm reached 14 cm −1 , while the emission cross section at 1079 nm was 6.5 × 10 −20 cm 2 .