ROLE OF SI ON ND SOLID-SOLUTION OF YAG CERAMICS

Excellent transparent YAG ceramics, which contain Nd additives from 1.2 to 1.2 at%, were fabricated by the solid-state reaction method using high purity powders (>99.99 mass%) of Al2O3, Y2O3 and Nd2O3. The precipitated phase (Y1-deltaNddeltaAlO3) in accordance with increase in Nd content was clearly observed in Nd:YAG ceramics undoped with ethyl silicate. In the case of Nd:YAG ceramics doped with ethyl silicate, the precipitated phases in Nd:YAG ceramics disappeared with adequate addition of ethyl silicate. The Nd:YAG ceramics doped with ethyl silicate were con firmed optical perfect isotropy in dark field image under cross nicols and fully transparent. Beam scattering was hardly observed when the He-Ne laser beam was irradiated into the polished 4.8 at% Nd:YAG ceramics.