Optical properties of transparent Pr:YSAG ceramic

Pr-doped Y3ScxAl(5−x)O12 (Pr:YSAG) powders were prepared with a chemical combustion method. Transparent Pr:YSAG ceramics with up to 40% scandium substitution for aluminum (Pr:Y3Sc2Al3O12) and 4 at.% of Pr doping were successfully fabricated by sintering the powder compact at 1800 °C under H2 atmosphere. Optical properties of Pr:YSAG transparent ceramics were investigated in detail. It was found that by the scandium substitution for aluminum, the YSAG lattice expanded, which favored the formation of Pr:YSAG solid solution.