Carbonate-precipitation synthesis of Yb3+:Y2O3 nanopowders and its characteristics

Ytterbium-doped yttria (Yb3+:Y2O3) nanopowders for transparent ceramics were synthesized by using a carbonate-precipitation method. The characteristics of precursor and powders calcined at different temperatures were investigated. The pure yttria phase can form through calcining at 700 °C. The Yb3+:Y2O3 nanopowders calcined at 1100 °C were well dispersed with a spherical morphology, and had a narrow particle size distribution with a mean particle size of about 70 nm. By using 1100 °C-calcined powders, nearly full dense Yb3+:Y2O3 ceramics were fabricated at 1750 °C for 8 h without any additives under vacuum conditions. The fluorescence spectrum of the sintered ceramics illustrates that there are two emission peaks locating at 1028 and 1071 nm respectively, all corresponding to the 2F5/2 → 2F7/2 transitions of Yb3+ ion. Homogeneous Yb3+:Y2O3 nanopowders synthesized by carbonate-precipitation method are suitable for the fabrication of IR-transparent ceramics.