On the solubility of Nd3+ in Y3Al5O12

Neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet powders (Nd:YAG or (Y1−xNdx)3Al5O12, x=0.15, 0.25, or 0.30, respectively) were prepared by a sol-gel technique. By DTA measurements up to 2000° C eutectic and liquidus temperatures could be determined. Exothermal peaks in the second and subsequent DTA heating runs indicate that the crystallized DTA samples are not in equilibrium. The section Y3Al5O12-Nd3Al5O12 of the concentration triangle Al2 O3-Nd2 O3-Y2 O3 is proposed on the basis of thermodynamic calculations that allows to explain the experimental results by the balance of metastable phase states in the previously crystallized DTA samples.