以高纯Y₂O₃, α-Al₂O₃, Yb₂O₃粉体作为原料, 采用固相反应和真空烧结法(1750 ℃, 30 h)制备了高光学质量的Yb:YAG透明陶瓷。5.0at% Yb:YAG陶瓷中Yb ³⁺的实测浓度为6.41×10 ²⁰ cm ^-3, 晶胞密度为4.65 g/cm ³。本工作重点研究了Yb:YAG陶瓷的显微结构、光谱特性和激光性能参数。场发射扫描电镜(FESEM)结果表明, Yb:YAG陶瓷的结构均匀致密、晶界干净平直, 平均晶粒尺寸为(19±3) μm。该陶瓷样品(厚度为4.0 mm)在400 nm处的直线透过率为82.5%, 在1100 nm处的透过率为85.2%。泵浦波长940 nm处的泵浦饱和光强最小, 激光波长1030 nm处的泵浦阈值功率最低, 940 nm泵浦1030 nm激光的品质因子为1.02×10 ^-22 cm·s。通过计算增益截面表明Yb:YAG陶瓷宽带可调谐, 是理想的激光增益材料。

Yb:YAG transparent ceramics with high optical quality were fabricated by solid-state reaction and vacuum sintering method (1750 ℃×30 h) using high-purity Y₂O₃, α-Al₂O₃ and Yb₂O₃ powders as raw materials. The measured concentration of Yb ³⁺in 5.0at% Yb:YAG ceramics is 6.41×10 ²⁰ cm ^-3, and the cell density is 4.65 g/cm ³. The microstructures, spectral characteristics and laser performance parameters of Yb:YAG ceramics were studied in this work. FESEM results show that Yb:YAG ceramics have uniform and compact structure, clean and straight grain boundaries, and the average grain size is about (19±3) μm. The in-line transmittance of Yb:YAG ceramics with thickness of 4.0 mm reaches 82.5% at 400 nm and 85.2% at 1100 nm. The minimum pump saturation light intensity occurs at 940 nm, and the pump threshold power at 1030 nm is the lowest. The quality factor of 1030 nm laser pumped at 940 nm is 1.02×10 ^-22 cm·s. By calculating the gain cross section, it is indicated that Yb:YAG ceramics can be tuned broadband, and are ideal laser gain media.