The absorption and emission properties of highly transparent ZrO 2 ‐doped Yb 3+ : Y 2 O 3 ceramics

Abstract Ultra‐highly transparent ZrO 2 ‐doped Yb 3+ : Y 2 O 3 ceramics were prepared by slip casting and vacuum pressureless sintering and the transmittance reached the highest value of 80.9% for the sample doped with 8.0 at% Yb 3+ . There are three main absorption peaks at 905, 950, and 976 nm, corresponding to the transition from the lowest level of field splitting of 2 F 7/2 crystal to every splitting energy levels of 2 F 5/2 crystal field. We analyzed the absorption and emission spectra of transparent Yb 3+ : Y 2 O 3 from the energy level structure of Yb 3+ , and the transmission, absorption, and emission spectra were systematically studied. There are three main absorption peaks at 905, 950, and 976 nm and four emission peaks at 1076, 1031, 1013, and 977 nm, respectively. The emission peaks at 977 and 1013 nm broaden and vanish for 8.0 and 10.0 at% Yb 3+ ‐doped Y 2 O 3 , which may be related to the change of Y 2 O 3 crystal field caused by high concentration.