Up-conversion and near infrared luminescence in Y2O3: Er3+, Yb3+ transparent ceramics

Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped Y2O3 transparent ceramics were fabricated by vacuum sintering method. The Y2O3: Er3+:Yb3+ nonopowders were prepared by co-precipitation method in advance. The morphology of powders and ceramics as investigated. The powders exhibited well dispersive condition with 100nm in diameter. The compactness of ceramics increased obviously with the increasing temperature. No pore was found in the ceramic sintered at 1800∘C. The ceramic samples showed intense near infrared luminescence peaking at 1535nm under the excitation of 980nm lasers, assigned to the 4I13∕2→4I15∕2 transition of Er3+. The intense up-conversion emissions were observed under the excitation of 980nm and 1550nm lasers.