Preparation of Er:YAG- and Bi₂O₃–B₂O₃–BaO-Based Glass-Ceramics by Selective Laser Sintering

A process has been developed for the preparation of ultrafine amorphous precursors (starting mixtures) differing in the ratio of Er:YAG to 20Bi₂O₃–60B₂O₃–20BaO. Using selective laser sintering, we have demonstrated the feasibility of producing functional glass-ceramics—with a crystalline phase consisting of yttrium erbium aluminum garnet and an yttrium erbium borate—from the synthesized precursor. The chemical and phase transformations during heat treatment of the precursor were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction, and changes in the macrocomposition of the glass-ceramics at characteristic synthesis temperatures were assessed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that the ultrafine precursor we used is potentially attractive for the fabrication of optical integrated circuits by selective laser sintering.