Vacuum sintering and optical properties of Gd2-xNdxZr2O7 transparent ceramics using combustion synthesized nanopowders

In this study, transparent Gd2-xNdxZr2O7 (x = 0.4-2.0) ceramics were successfully prepared by vacuum sintering using combustion synthesized nanopowders. The original powders demonstrate a single-phase defect fluorite structure, which transforms into pyrochlore structure after sintering at high temperature. All the ceramics exhibit excellent optical performance in the range of 1000-2000 nm and the highest transmittance can reach to 78% at 1000 nm when x = 0.4. Under the excitation of 808 nm laser pumping, the samples achieve an upconversion emission peak of green light centered at 520 nm and a near infrared emission peak at 1067 nm.