Er- and Nd-doped yttrium aluminosilicate glasses: Preparation and characterization

The undoped, and Nd-, Er-doped low silica high alumina yttrium aluminosilicate (YAS) glasses were prepared by flame synthesis in the form of transparent glass microbeads with diameters ranging from a few to several tens of micrometers. The silica content ranged between 5 and 20 mol.%. The prepared glass microbeads were characterized by optical microscopy, SEM XRD, FT-IR and UV–VIS–NIR spectroscopy. The glass forming ability of glasses, expressed in terms of the difference between the glass transition temperature, Tg, and the onset of crystallization, Tx, improved with increasing silica content. Doping of YAS15 glass with neodymium or erbium at the level of 1–5 mol.% leads to decrease of both the Tg and Tx. However, the glass forming ability was not affected. The UV–VIS–NIR reflectance spectra in the spectral range from 300 to 1800 nm shows characteristic absorptions, due to the optically active Nd3+ and Er3+ ions in the host glass.

► Low silica high alumina yttrium aluminosilicate (YAS) glasses were prepared.
► Improvement the glass forming ability with increasing SiO2 content.
► Glasses doped with Er3+ and Nd3+ ions.
► YAS glasses are able to accommodate up to 5 mol.% of Nd3+ and Er3+ ions.