Fabrication of Yb-doped Lu2O3-Y2O3-La2O3 solid solutions transparent ceramics by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis and vacuum sintering

A comparative analysis of sintering and grain growth processes of lutetium oxide and lutetium-yttrium-lanthanum oxides solid solutions, as well as optical properties, luminescence and laser generation of (LuxY0.9-xLa0.05Yb0.05)(2)O-3 transparent ceramics are reported. Fabrication of highly dispersed initial powders of these compounds was performed via nitrate-glycine self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) method. The powders were compacted at 300 MPa and vacuum sintered at temperatures up to 1750 degrees C. Optical ceramics of (Lu0.65Y0.25La0.05Yb0.05)(2)O-3 elemental composition were shown to have the highest in-line transmittance, which achieved 78% at the wavelength of 800 nm. Generation of laser radiation at a wavelength of 1032 nm with the differential efficiency of 20% was demonstrated in the (Lu0.65Y0.25La0.05Yb0.05)(2)O-3 ceramics.