Synthesis and Characterization of Neodymium and Ytterbium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Nano-powder

Nd/Yb-co-doped YAG transparent ceramic nano-powder was prepared by a sol-gel combustion method.The structure,morphology and properties were characterized by thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis,X-ray diffraction,transmission electron microscopy,infrared spectroscopy,absorption analysis and fluorescence spectroscopy,respectively.The results show that the mass loss of the powder calcinated at 900 ℃ for 3 h is 49.56%.A well-crystallized Nd/Yb:YAG nano-powder with the superior sintering performance and high purity is obtained,and the morphology of the particles with the average diameter in the range of 60-100 runs appears regular.The nano-powder exhibits an intense absorption at 808 nm,corresponding to the 4I/9/2-4F7/2 transition of Nd(3+ ions,which is suitable to absorb the wavelength of 808 nm from a laser diode source.The emission peak at 1046 nm of the Nd/Yb:YAG powder is more intense than that of Nd(3+:YAG powder.It is indicated that the energy absorbed by Yb(3+ ions from the laser diode source can be transmitted to Nd(3+ ions based on the cross relaxation process of[（4F3/2）Nd,（2F7/2）Yb]-[（479/2）Nd,（2F5/2）Yb].