Fabrication and Sintering Behavior of Er:SrF2 Transparent Ceramics using Chemically Derived Powder

Abstract

In this paper, we report the fabrication of high-quality 5 at. % Er3+ ions doped SrF2 transparent ceramics, the potential candidate materials for a mid-infrared laser-gain medium by hot-pressing at 700 °C for 40 h using a chemically-derived powder. The phase structure, densification, and microstructure evolution of the Er:SrF2 ceramics were systematically investigated. In addition, the grain growth kinetic mechanism of Er:SrF2 was clarified. The results showed lattice diffusion to be the grain growth mechanism in the Er:SrF2 transparent ceramic of which highest in-line transmittance reached 92% at 2000 nm, i.e., very close to the theoretical transmittance value of SrF2 single crystal. Furthermore, the emission spectra showed that the strongest emission band was located at 2735 nm. This means that it is possible to achieve a laser output of approximately 2.7 μm in the 5 at. % Er3+ ions doped SrF2 transparent ceramics.

An overview on transparent ceramics with pyrochlore and fluorite structures

“…There have also been reports on SrF 2 -based transparent ceramics. [107][108][109][110][111] Nd:SrF 2 transparent ceramics co-doped with La 3þ at concentrations of 1-5 at.% were developed by using HP. 110 The Nd:SrF 2 nanosized powders were prepared by using a chemical co-precipitation method.…”

Effect of Yb concentration on the microstructures, spectra, and laser performance of Yb: CaF2 transparent ceramics

“…Most of the transparent ceramic focuses on oxide materials like YAG, 3,4 sesquioxide, 5,6 MgAl 2 O 4 , 7,8 etc. Recently, fluoride‐based transparent ceramics have attracted significant interests due to their high transparency, low phonon energy and refractive index 9‐12 . In fact, Dy: CaF 2 is the first laser ceramics to achieve laser output in 1964 by S. E. Hatch 13 .…”

“…Recently, fluoride-based transparent ceramics have attracted significant interests due to their high transparency, low phonon energy and refractive index. [9][10][11][12] In fact, Dy: CaF 2 is the first laser ceramics to achieve laser output in 1964 by S. E. Hatch. 13 After that, few works on fluoride-based transparent ceramics has been done for nearly half a century.…”

Synthesis and luminescence characterization of Pr3+, Gd3+ co‐doped SrF2 transparent ceramics

“…Since then, a series of Re‐doped YAG transparent ceramics have been fabricated and investigated . Furthermore, strontium fluoride (SrF 2 ) ceramic has been considered as a promising optical medium because of its favorable physicochemical and thermal stability properties . Compared with the oxide‐based ceramics, the fluoride compounds show many additional advantages as follows: high transmittance in the wavelength range from UV to IR (0.125‐10 µm), high‐damage threshold, low index of refraction, and low‐phonon energy.…”

“…ceramic has been considered as a promising optical medium because of its favorable physicochemical and thermal stability properties. 14,15 Compared with the oxide-based ceramics, the fluoride compounds show many additional advantages as follows: high transmittance in the wavelength range from UV to IR (0.125-10 µm), high-damage threshold, low index of refraction, and low-phonon energy. Besides, SrF 2 transparent ceramics can be prepared at relatively lower sintering temperature, which is important for large-scale production.…”