Fabrication and spectral properties of Yb,Ho:Y2O3 transparent ceramics

Yb,Ho:Y 2 O 3 ceramics have been fabricated by Spark Plasma Sintering method (SPS). The microstructure and transmittance of the ceramics sintered from 1623 K to 1673 K were analyzed. The highest in-line transmittance of Yb,Ho:Y 2 O 3 ceramic sintered at 1673 K reached almost 83% at 750 nm with the thickness of 1 mm. The absorption spectra , fluorescence spectra and fluorescence decay curve were recorded at room temperature. The Judd-Ofelt parameters Ω 2 , Ω 4 and Ω 6 were calculated to be 8.33 × 10 −20  cm 2 , 1.81 × 10 −20  cm 2 , and 0.82 × 10 −20  cm 2 , respectively. The intense emission cross section of Yb,Ho:Y 2 O 3 ceramic was 3.43 × 10 −20  cm 2  at 2057 nm with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 208 nm. The results indicate that Yb,Ho:Y 2 O 3 transparent ceramic can be a promising laser gain medium for laser operation around 2 μm.