A model based on Rayleigh–Gans–Debye light-scattering theory has been developed to describe the light transmission properties of fine-grained, fully dense, polycrystalline ceramics consisting of birefringent crystals. This model extends light transmission models based on geometrical optics, which are valid only for coarse-grained microstructures, to smaller crystal sizes. We verify our model by measuring the light transmission properties of fully dense (>99.99%), polycrystalline α-Al₂O₃ (PCA) with mean crystal sizes ranging from 60 to 0.3 μm. The remarkable transparency exhibited by PCA samples with small crystal sizes (<2 μm) is well explained by this model.

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Volume86, Issue3

March 2003

Pages 480-486

Transparent Alumina: A Light-Scattering Model

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