Fabrication and Sintering Behavior of Er:SrF(2) Transparent Ceramics using Chemically Derived Powder

In this paper, we report the fabrication of high-quality 5 at. % Er(3+) ions doped SrF(2) transparent ceramics, the potential candidate materials for a mid-infrared laser-gain medium by hot-pressing at 700 °C for 40 h using a chemically-derived powder. The phase structure, densification, and microstructure evolution of the Er:SrF(2) ceramics were systematically investigated. In addition, the grain growth kinetic mechanism of Er:SrF(2) was clarified. The results showed lattice diffusion to be the grain growth mechanism in the Er:SrF(2) transparent ceramic of which highest in-line transmittance reached 92% at 2000 nm, i.e., very close to the theoretical transmittance value of SrF(2) single crystal. Furthermore, the emission spectra showed that the strongest emission band was located at 2735 nm. This means that it is possible to achieve a laser output of approximately 2.7 μm in the 5 at. % Er(3+) ions doped SrF(2) transparent ceramics.