Abstract

Attempts to synthesize a solid-state-laser material of polycrystalline ceramics have been reported by many researchers. In experiments done by With and Dijk¹ and by Sekita et al.,² the laser oscillation of Nd:YAG ceramics was not observed. We have succeeded in fabricating a transparent polycrystalline Nd:YAG ceramics³ with remarkably excellent optical properties. In our fabrication a simple solid-state reaction among Al₂O₃, Y₂O₃, and Nd₂O₃ powders (purity >99.99 wt·%) was adopted. The powders of Al₂O₃, Y₂O₃, and Nd₂O₃ were synthesized by alkoxide precipitation, the pyrolysis of Y₂(OH)Cl₅. H₂O, and oxalate precipitation, respectively. The impurity contents of each powder analyzed by ICP were less than 100 wt ppm. Figure 1 shows the relative density of powder compacts sintered from 1600 to 1850 °C for 5 h in vacuum. The relative density of the sample sintered at 1600°C was 98.2%.

© 1995 Optical Society of America