The effect of Yb3+ ion substitution on dielectric and microstructural properties of Y3Al5O12 ceramics

Abstract

The electrical and dielectric properties of Y3Al5O12 (yttrium aluminum garnet, YAG) ceramics are investigated in detail. YAG:(Yb)x (0.01x0.09) was synthesized by a solid state reaction and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The electrical and dielectric properties have been intensively studied under certain bias voltages up to a frequency of 10MHz. These properties are dependent on the substitution rates, independent of the bias voltages. The experimental result shows that Yb3+ ion substitution into YAG ceramics significantly influences the conductivity, dielectric constant, and lossy mechanisms, which is probably owing to the 3d-Al ions and 4f-Yb ions incorporated at different positions of structural symmetries in Y3-xYbxAl5O12 (0.00x0.09) ceramics.