Nd3+-doped Lu2O3 transparent sesquioxide ceramics elaborated by the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) method. Part 1: Structural, thermal conductivity and spectroscopic characterization

•Structural characterization by SEM.•The highest values of thermal conductivities of laser materials.•High emission cross-section: σem (×10−20) = 6.3 cm2.•Two close 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 laser lines of C2 site at 1076.3 and 1080.5 nm, respectively.•C3i levels are located at higher energy than C2 levels like in other rare earth ions-doped in sesquioxides.

We report the detailed analysis of both structural characterization by SEM, thermal conductivity of high value and high resolution spectroscopic properties of Nd3+-doped Lu2O3 transparent ceramics fabricated by the non-conventional SPS method. The emission spectra of the main C2 site shows two close 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 laser lines at 1076.3 and 1080.5 nm, respectively. The optical properties of the two C2 and C3i sites and of C2–C3i and C2–C2 Nd3+ pairs have especially been analyzed.