YAG∶1% （atom fraction） Yb 3+ , 0.5% （atom fraction） Er 3+ transparent ceramics were fabricated by the solid state reaction method using high-purity Y2O3, Al2O3, Yb2O3, and Er2O3 powders as starting materials. The mixed powder compact was sintered at 1760 ℃ for 6 h in vacuum and annealed at 1500 ℃ for 10 h in an air atmosphere. The ceramics consisted of about 10 μm grains and exhibited a pore-free structure. The optical transmittance of the ceramics at 1064 nm was nearly 80%. Upconversion emissions were investigated on the ceramics pumped by a 980 nm continuous wave diode laser, and strong green emission centered at 523 and 559 nm and red emission centered at 669 nm were observed, which originated from the radiative transitions of 2H 11/2 →4I 15/2 , 4S 3/2 →4I 15/2 , and 4F 9/2 →4I 15/2 of Er 3+ ions, respectively.
Cubic YAG:Yb3+, Ho3+ pure phase nanocrystals were synthesized by using coprecipition nitrate and ammonium hydrogen carbonate as raw materials.After calcining the precipitates at 800 °C, the resultant YAG:Yb3+, Ho3+ nanocrystals were nearly spheric and the particle size was about 40 nm.Intense upconversion spectra were observed on the powder compact pumped by a 980 nm continuous wave diode laser, and green emission centered at 549 nm, red emission centered at 667 nm, and NIR centered at 760 nm were all due to two photons process, which originated from 5S2(5F4)→5I8, 5F5→5I8, and 5S2(5F4)→5I7 transitions, respectively.
