Optical Properties of Gd-α-Sialon Ceramics: Effect of Carbon Contamination

• Published in: Journal of the American Ceramic Society Vol. 88; no. 8; pp. 2304 - 2306
• Main Authors: Chen, Wei-Wu, Su, Xin-Lu, Wang, Pei-Ling, Yan, Dong-Sheng, Cheng, Yi-Bing, Watari, Koji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Inc 01.08.2005; Blackwell
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building materials. Ceramics. Glasses; Ceramic industries; Chemical industry and chemicals; Exact sciences and technology; Structural ceramics; Technical ceramics; Aluminium nitride; Doping; Photoluminescence; Silicon nitride; Experimental study; Fabrication property relation; Controlled atmosphere; X ray diffraction; Contamination; Oxide ceramics; Structural ceramic; Hot pressing; Alpha phase; Carbon addition; Impurity effect; Optical properties; Gadolinium addition; Sialon; Manufacturing; Nitrides oxides
• ISSN: 0002-7820; 1551-2916
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2005.00385.x

Thick translucent and luminescent Gd–α‐sialon ceramic disks (0.7–1.06 mm in thickness) were prepared by hot pressing. The effect of carbon atmosphere on their optical properties during sintering was explored by change packing methods. The results show that the sample with a lower carbon contamination has a higher translucence in the visible band and IR band (450–3500 nm), increasing transmission around 10% even if it is thicker. When excited at 350 nm, Gd–α‐sialon with the lower carbon contamination can produce a visible light at 450–500 nm bands, but the luminescence is very weak in the sample containing more carbon contamination. These indicate that carbon contamination causes a severe degradation of the optical properties of α‐sialon ceramics, and reduction of carbon contamination of α‐sialon ceramics is very important for the optical property improvement.