Research ArticlePreparation and laser performances of Nd3+:GSGG ceramic powder raw materials
Introduction
The development of laser technology can enable people to effectively utilize many advanced technologies such as 3D printing and additive manufacturing, which bring great benefit for mankind and promote the rapid growth of our society. Nowadays, an important development direction of laser technology is the solid-state laser with high average power or peak power [1,2]. So far, working materials for high power solid laser have evolved hundreds of materials including single crystal, glass and ceramics [[3], [4], [5], [6]]. In recent years, with the development of high quality powders preparation technology and various kinds of sintering equipment, the domestic and foreign scholars have conducted a great deal of experimental researches on laser ceramics materials and achieved many gratifying results [[7], [8], [9]]. Compared with single crystal laser materials, laser ceramics have the incomparable features such as preparation cost, doping concentration and conducive to mass production. Compared with glass laser materials, laser ceramics has the greater thermal conductivity, hardness and the lower oscillation threshold, which is conducive to the improvement of laser performance [[10], [11], [12]].
Gallium scandium gadolinium (GSGG) laser ceramic is a good candidate for high power solid-state laser application due to its many unique optical and thermo-mechanical properties, stable physical and chemical performance [[13], [14], [15]]. Compared with traditional Y3Al5O12 (YAG), GSGG can be highly doped, and has good thermal performance, mechanical properties and stable physical or chemical properties [[16], [17], [18], [19]]. Doping proper rare earth elements in optical ceramics can produce laser working materials; Nd3+ has the four-level laser system and is most commonly used. GSGG doped with rare earth Nd3+ makes this material highly suitable for high power solid-state lasers, which has shown considerable potential advantages [20].
In this paper, Nd3+:GSGG laser ceramic raw materials were prepared by one step co-precipitation method, and its morphology, structure and spectrum were studied, which is hope to benefit for the development of high power solid-state laser technology.
Section snippets
Sample preparation
Gallium oxide (Ga2O3, purity ≥ 99.99%) was dissolved in diluted hot nitric acid, and a bit little hydrochloric acid was added also. Scandium oxide(Sc2O3, purity ≥99.99%)and gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3, purity ≥99.99%) were dissolved in diluted acetic acid. Adequate amounts of Ga2O3, Sc2O3, Gd2O3 were added according to the stoichiometric molar ratio (3:2:3). Doping amount of neodymium oxide (Nd2O3, purity ≥99.99%) was in the range from 0 at.% to 3.0 at.%, and the preparation process is shown in
Crystallinity of the precursor after different heat-treatments
Fig. 2 shows the XRD spectra of the powders obtained at various heat-treated temperatures. The diffraction patterns show that the untreated powders are amorphous phase, and the crystallization of the amorphous precursors starts at 800 °C. After the heat-treatment of 1000 °C for 4 h, the amorphous powders are totally crystallized to GSGG phase. With the rising of the sintering temperature, it can be seen that the diffraction peaks are becoming more and more obvious, and consistent with the
Conclusion
Nd3+:GSGG nanocrystals were prepared by one step co-precipitation method with various Nd3+ concentrations. The concentration of Nd3+ makes the energy transfer between each other possible and happens frequently, which leads to the outputting energy being absorbed or transferred. So, the best conditions are 1000 °C calcination for 4 h and Nd3+ doping content is about 1.0 at.%. The average particle size of obtained Nd3+:GSGG powder particle is about 65 nm and uniformly dispersed, which are
Acknowledgement
This work was financially supported by the fund of The State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing in NWPU (No. SKLSP201704).
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