采用真空烧结制备了透明度良好的Tb3+，Yb3+共掺的(Tb0.01Y0.99-xYbx)2O3 (摩尔分数x=0，0.02，0.05，0.1)透明陶瓷。在484 nm的蓝光激发下，通过Tb3+离子的敏化作用，实现了Yb3+离子的下转换近红外发光。由Tb3+到Yb3+主要的能量传递机理为：Tb3+吸收484 nm的光子后将所吸收该光子的能量通过合作下转换的方式传递至两个Yb3+离子的激发态2F5/2能级，进而实现两个Yb3+离子的近红外发光。真空烧结对Tb4+的抑制、Y2O3晶格本身对Yb2+的抑制、Tb4+-Yb2+电荷转移态与Tb3+离子5D4能级之间较大的能隙以及Y2O3较低的声子能量等因素使得在484 nm激发下，由Tb3+经Tb4+-Yb2+电荷转移态后部分无辐射跃迁至Yb3+离子2F5/2能级的影响变得较小。另外，Y2O3较低的声子能量加之Tb3+离子5D4能级与Yb3+离子2F5/2能级之间较大的能隙(约1×105 cm-1)使得由Tb3+离子5D4能级无辐射跃迁至Yb3+激发态2F5/2，进而实现一个Yb3+离子的近红外发光在下转换近红外发光中的贡献也较小。

Tb3+, Yb3+ codoped Y2O3 (mole fraction x=0.02, 0.05, 0.1) transparent ceramics of high transparency have been prepared by vacuum sintering and the down-conversion near infrared (NIR) emission has been demonstrated upon a 484 nm excitation. The dominant energy transfer mechanism is the cooperative down-conversion from 5D4 level of one Tb3+ ion to the 2F5/2 level of two Yb3+ ions. The suppression of Tb4+ during vacuum sintering and the suppression of Yb2+ due to the nature of Y2O3 lattice, together with the large energy gap between Tb3+5D4 level and Tb4+-Yb2+ charge transfer state (CTS) and the low phonon energy of Y2O3 make the non-radiative influence from the CTS negligible. In addition, the contribution of Tb3+5D4→one Yb3+2F5/2 (non-radiative)→Yb3+2F7/2 (radiative) process to NIR emission should be little due to the large energy gap between Tb3+5D4 level and low phonon energy of Y2O3.