Effect of the Thermal Shrinkage Behavior of Yb:Lu2O3 Nanopowder Compacts on the Structural and Optical Characteristics of Ceramics

Resumo

We have studied the thermal shrinkage of ytterbium-doped Lu₂O₃ nanopowder compacts during heating to 1550°C and examined the effect of the intermediate microstructure of the material on the characteristics of transparent ceramics after hot isostatic pressing at a temperature of 1700°C. The results demonstrate that the optical properties of the ceramics depend on the structural features formed in the presintering step. It has been shown for the first time that rate-controlled densification of powder compacts allows the extinction coefficient of transparent Yb:Lu₂O₃ ceramics to be reduced by a factor of ~1.8 in comparison with other sintering modes.