Processing of the Nd2O3:SiO2 system by Laser Floating Zone in air

F Rey-García,N.M Ferreira,A.J.S Fernandes,F.M Costa

doi:10.1016/j.rinp.2020.103180

Abstract

Highly textured polycrystalline fibres of monoclinic P21/c Nd2SiO5 and hexagonal P63/m Nd9.33(SiO4)6O2 phases were obtained by Laser Floating Zone in air from stoichiometric mixtures of Nd2O3 and SiO2 changing the pulling rate from 10 to 400 mm/h. Distribution of phases barely varied due to the incongruent melt of the Nd2O3:SiO2 system, resulting in fibres adequate for microwave devices owing to the dielectric character of the Nd2SiO5 phase. Raman analysis was performed in this material for the first time.

Highlights

Neodymium apatite-type silicates have a great technological interest since they can be employed in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) or in microwave devices [1,2,3,4,5,6]
Pure Nd9.33(SiO4)6O2 single crystals were obtained from neodymium silicate pre-sintered rods by both the Floating Zone (FZ) [5] and the Laser Floating Zone (LFZ) [7] methods at low pulling rates (
Considering that Gd2SiO5 and Lu2SiO5 crystals were successfully grown by LFZ in air at 10 and 200 mm/h [8,9], respectively, this approach was explored for the Nd2O3:SiO2 system

Summary

Introduction

Neodymium apatite-type silicates have a great technological interest since they can be employed in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) or in microwave devices [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Pure Nd9.33(SiO4)6O2 single crystals were obtained from neodymium silicate pre-sintered rods by both the Floating Zone (FZ) [5] and the Laser Floating Zone (LFZ) [7] methods at low pulling rates (

Results

Conclusion