Structure and Luminescence Properties of Ho:(Y1-xScx)2O3 Ceramics

Ho-doped sesquioxide is one of the most important laser gain media for 2 micron wavelength band laser applications. It is hard to be transparent by sintering because of its high melting point. Herein, the structural and spectral properties of 0.5 at% Ho:(Y1-xScx)(2)O-3 (x = 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0) ceramics fabricated by vacuum pressureless sintering are studied. Then, 0.5 at% Ho:(Y0.7Sc0.3)(2)O-3 transparent ceramics with 1.0 at% ZrO2 as a sintering aid are prepared by vacuum pressureless presintering (1680 degrees C for 4 h) combined with hot isostatic pressing sintering treatment (1600 degrees C/190 MPa for 3 h). The transmittance of Ho:(Y0.7Sc0.3)(2)O-3 ceramic reaches 80.8% at 1100 nm (6 mm in thickness), which is close to its theoretic value. The addition of ZrO2 has no significant influence on spectroscopic properties of 0.5 at% Ho:(Y0.7Sc0.3)(2)O-3 ceramics.