| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7907404 | Optical Materials | 2018 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
In this study, Nd:YAG ceramics with different (Nd+Y)/Al ratios around the stoichiometric one ((Nd+Y)/Al = 0.6000) with high accuracy (better than 0.1%) were elaborated by solid-state reactive-sintering under vacuum. The influence of (Nd+Y)/Al ratio on sintering behavior, microstructural and optical properties of as-obtained ceramics were systematically studied. This study shows that Al-excess strongly promotes mass transfer by diffusion, and consequently, densification and grain growth processes whereas Y-excess lead to opposite behavior. Results were interpreted by considering several parameters such as local chemical composition, intrinsic/extrinsic crystalline defects, and interactions between pores, secondary phases and grain boundaries. Finally, exact stoichiometry or Y-excess appear to be more favorable to obtain highly transparent Nd:YAG ceramics suitable for laser operation.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Materials Science
Ceramics and Composites
Authors
Loïck Bonnet, Rémy Boulesteix, Alexandre Maître, Rémy Belon, Lucie Chrétien, Christian Sallé,