Effects of preparation conditions on the structural and optical properties of spark plasma-sintered PLZT (8/65/35) ceramics

Transparent lanthanum-doped lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) ceramics with high density were fabricated using spark plasma sintering (SPS), a recently developed hot-pressing method. A wet-dry combination method was used to prepare the fine PLZT powders. The average grain size of the PLZT ceramics was less than 1 mu m, because of a relatively low sintering temperature and a very short sintering time. The transmittance of PLZT ceramics increased with an increase of calcination temperature up to 700 degrees C and then it slightly decreased with further increase of calcination temperature. The transmittance strongly depended on the SPS temperature and heat-treatment temperature. The pellet sintered at 900 degrees C for 10 min and heat treated at 800 degrees C for 1 h with a thickness of 0.5 mm showed a transmittance of 31% at a wavelength of 700 nm. The relationships between the transmittance and the microstructure were investigated.