Structural and optical properties of Tm:Y2O3 transparent ceramic with La2O3, ZrO2 as composite sintering aid

The paper reports the use of La2O3 and ZrO2 co-doping as a composite sintering aid for the fabrication of Tm:Y2O3 transparent ceramics. Two groups of experiments were conducted for investigating the influences of composite sintering aids on the microstructures and the optical properties of Tm:Y2O3 transparent ceramics in contrast to single La3+ and single Zr4+ doped Tm:Y2O3. Samples with composite sintering aids could realize fine microstructures and good optical properties at relatively low sintering temperatures. Grain sizes around 10 μm and transmittances close to theoretical value at wavelength of 2 μm were achieved for the 9 at.% La3+, 3 at.% Zr4+ co-doped samples sintered at 1500–1600 °C. The influences of the composite sintering aids on the emission intensities and the phonon energies of Tm:Y2O3 ceramics were also investigated.