Sintering of transparent Nd:YAG ceramics in oxygen atmosphere

Yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) transparent ceramics were fabricated by sintering at oxygen atmosphere. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was added as the sintering additive to control the grain growth and densification. Pores were eliminated clearly at temperature lower than 1700 °C, while grain size was around 3 μm. The in-line transmittance was 80% at 1064 nm when samples were sintered at 1710 °C. The effect of TEOS was studied in oxygen atmosphere sintering for Nd:YAG transparent ceramics. At higher temperature like 1710 °C, the grain growth mechanism was solute drag, while at 1630 and 1550 °C the grain growth was controlled by liquid phase sintering mechanism. And 0.5 wt.% TEOS was the best adding content for Nd:YAG sintered in oxygen atmosphere.