Effect of powder calcination temperature on the microstructure and laser performance of Yb:CaF2 transparent ceramics

Year: 2025

Authors: Li X., Liu Q., Guo LH., Hu C., Wu JL., Toci G., Pirri A., Patrizi B., Vannini M., Hreniak D., Li J.

Autors Affiliation: Chinese Acad Sci, Shanghai Inst Ceram, Transparent Ceram Res Ctr, Shanghai 201899, Peoples R China; Jiangsu Univ, Sch Mat Sci & Engn, Zhenjiang, Peoples R China; Univ Chinese Acad Sci, Ctr Mat Sci & Optoelect Engn, Beijing, Peoples R China; Ist Nazl Ott INO, Consiglio Nazl Ric CNR, Florence, Italy; Ist Fis Applicata Carrara IFAC, Consiglio Nazl Ric CNR, Florence, Italy; Polish Acad Sci, Inst Low Temp & Struct Res, Wroclaw, Poland.

Abstract: The 5 at.% Yb:CaF2 transparent ceramics were fabricated by hot pressing and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) using nano-powders synthesized by the co-precipitation method. Before hot pressing, the co-precipitated powders were vacuum calcined at different temperatures. To understand the relationship between the calcination temperature and the resulting material properties, a series of in-depth studies were conducted on the microstructure and optical properties of Yb:CaF2 ceramics. Following HIP post-treatment at 600 degrees C, residual porosity within the hot-pressed ceramics was effectively eliminated, leading to enhancements in optical quality. The ceramic samples hot pressed at 625 degrees C from powders vacuum calcined at 600 degrees C and then HIP post-treated at 600 degrees C exhibited the highest in-line transmittance of 91.0% at 1200 nm as well as the best laser performance. The maximum output power of 1.51 W and the maximum slope efficiency of 22.9% were obtained, surpassing those of other Yb:CaF2 ceramics fabricated via the HP method reported in the literature.

Journal/Review: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY

More Information: This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2021YFE0104800), the International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 121631KYSB20200039), National Center for Research and Development (Contract No. WPC2/1/SCAPOL/2021), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Fellowship Initiative (Grant No. 2024VEA0014).
KeyWords: hot isostatic pressing; hot pressing; laser performance; microstructure; Yb:CaF2 transparent ceramics
DOI: 10.1111/ijac.15108