Vacuum sintering and optical properties of Gd2-xNdxZr2O7 transparent ceramics using combustion synthesized nanopowders

In this study, transparent Gd 2-x Nd x Zr 2 O 7 (x = 0.4–2.0) ceramics were successfully prepared by vacuum sintering using combustion synthesized nanopowders . The original powders demonstrate a single-phase defect fluorite structure, which transforms into pyrochlore structure after sintering at high temperature. All the ceramics exhibit excellent optical performance in the range of 1000–2000 nm and the highest transmittance can reach to 78% at 1000 nm when x = 0.4. Under the excitation of 808 nm laser pumping, the samples achieve an upconversion emission peak of green light centered at 520 nm and a near infrared emission peak at 1067 nm.