FABRICATION OF TRANSPARENT CE-Y2O3 CERAMI CS USING A HIP

Polycrystal, transparent Y2O3 ceramics containing 1.1 mol% Ce was fabr icated by the solid-state reaction method using high powders and utili zing a capsule-free HIP'ing. The optical transmittance of Ce:Y2O3 cera mics obtained was 70-85% in visible to infrared wavelength regions. Al though the absorptions by Ce ions were observed at near 450 and 2600 n m, the fluorescence by Ce ions was hardly observed as seen in the Ce3-doped YAG (Y3Al5O12) Single crystal fabricated by Czochralski method due to the formation of Ce4+ ions. The absorption coefficients of Ce: Y2O3 ceramics in near-infrared to infrared wavelength regions were ver y small like Nd-doped P2O3 single crystals by Verneuil method or Nd-do ped FAG single crystals by floating-zone method.