Fabrication of Er:Y2O3 transparent ceramics for 2.7 μm mid-infrared solid-state lasers

Abstract Laser grade 7 at.% Er:Y2O3 transparent ceramics with submicron grain size were fabricated by using one-step vacuum sintering followed by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) technique. Through studying the sintering trajectory of Er:Y2O3 ceramics, the sintering temperature zone where sufficient relative density (>96%), no pore-boundary separation, and sub-micron grain size (