Fabrication and properties of transparent Tb2Ti2O7 magneto-optical ceramics

Transparent Tb 2 Ti 2 O 7 magneto-optical ceramics were fabricated from co-precipitated nano-powders by vacuum pre-sintering with hot isostatic pressing (HIP) post-treatment. The formation of pyrochlore phase, decomposition of the precursor, and the morphology of powders calcined at different temperatures were investigated. The in-line transmittance of Tb 2 Ti 2 O 7 ceramics, which were pre-sintered at 1350 ℃ for 2 h with HIP post-treatment at 1450 ℃ for 3 h and subsequently annealed at 800 ℃ for 20 h in NH 3 atmosphere, reaches 65.5 % at 1064 nm. The Verdet constant of Tb 2 Ti 2 O 7 ceramics is −229.0 ± 0.6 rad·T −1 m −1 at the wavelength of 633 nm, which is 71 % higher than that of the commercial Tb 3 Ga 5 O 12 crystals. Tb 2 Ti 2 O 7 magneto-optical ceramics show a promising application for Faraday rotators.