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Laser‐quality Tm:(Lu 0.8 Sc 0.2 ) 2 O 3 mixed sesquioxide ceramics shaped by gelcasting of well‐dispersed nanopowders
Author(s) -
Wu Huajun,
Pan GuoHui,
Hao Zhendong,
Zhang Liangliang,
Zhang Xia,
Zhang Ligong,
Zhao Haifeng,
Zhang Jiahua
Publication year - 2019
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/jace.16325
Subject(s) - sesquioxide , materials science , ceramic , transparent ceramics , slurry , laser , nanoceramic , coprecipitation , transmittance , slope efficiency , composite material , optics , mineralogy , optoelectronics , fiber laser , chemical engineering , metallurgy , chemistry , physics , engineering , fiber
Abstract Tm 3+ ‐doped mixed sesquioxide transparent ceramics are attractive candidates for the generation of robust ~2.1 μm lasers. In this paper, laser‐quality Tm:(Lu 0.8 Sc 0.2 ) 2 O 3 mixed sesquioxide ceramics were shaped for the first time by gelcasting of well‐dispersed nanopowders, which were obtained using a modified coprecipitation method. The dispersibility of starting nanopowders was largely improved using alcohol‐water solvent. The rheological properties of slurries were optimized for gelcasting. We also investigated the densification behavior of the gel‐casted green compacts. In contrast to the dry‐pressing route, it was found that gelcasting could yield more homogeneous and transparent ceramics. The optical in‐line transmittance of the ceramic rod 12 mm in length was as high as 80.3% at 2090 nm. Upon pumping the ceramic rod by 796 nm diode laser, a 1.88 W CW laser at 2090 nm was acquired with a slope efficiency of 24.6% (with respect to the input pump power).