Synthesis and luminescent properties of Pr-doped Lu3Al5O12 translucent ceramic

Lutetium aluminum garnet (LuAG) precursors doped with different Pr3+ concentration (0.25at.%, 0.5at.%, 1.0at.%, 3.0at.%, 5.0at.%) were synthesized via a co-precipitation method using ammonium hydrogen carbonate as precipitant. The phase evolution and mor-phology of the precursor were characterized with X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The resultant LuAG:Pr3+ powder was sintered into translucent ceramic without any additives in vacuum at 1150℃ and then in nitrogen atmosphere at 1700℃. Photohiminescence spectra of LuAG:Pr3+ powder and ceramic were measured at room temperature in vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and ultraviolet (VU) region. For the 5d-4f transition of Pr3+ ions, dominant emission of ceramic samples peaking round 311 nm had higher lumines-cence intensity. And the host absorption in ceramic samples was not as intensive as that in powder samples. The luminescent intensity of LuAG:Pr3+ varied with the Pr3+ contents and the quenching concentration was about 1.0at.% for ceramic and 3.0at.% for powder, which was much higher than 0.24at.% for LuAG:Pr3+ single crystals. This phenomenon showed that the ceramic had some superiority over single crystals.