Sintering and optical quality of highly transparent yb‐doped yttrium lanthanum oxide ceramics

To produce highly transparent Yb-doped yttrium lanthanum oxide (Yb3+:(LaxY1–x)2O3) ceramics two original technologies were used: laser synthesis of nanopowder and pulsed magnetic compacting. Sintering of the compacts in vacuum 3×10–4 Pa at 1600–1700 °C during 13 hours led to transparent ceramics fabrication. The ceramics with relative density higher than 99.99% and grain size about 40 µm were fabricated. Full transmittance of 1.8 mm thick Yb0,11La0,23Y1,66O3 ceramics reaches 82.5%@800 nm. (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)