Preparation of optical ceramics based on highly dispersed powders of scandium oxide

A technique for the hot pressing of transparent scandium-oxide-based ceramics using highly dispersed powders obtained by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis has been developed. The influence of the sintering additive of lithium fluoride and the time regime of sintering on the microstructure and optical properties of the ceramics was established. Samples of optical ceramics based on scandium oxide (including those doped with ytterbium ions) with optical transmittance above 78% were obtained.