Rare earths in nanocrystalline glass-ceramics

The optical spectroscopic analysis of rare earth ions in transparent oxyfluoride glass-ceramics obtained from SiO2-Al2O3-PbF2-CdF2 based precursor glasses is presented. The oscillator strengths of the optical transitions were measured from the absorption spectra of glasses and glass-ceramics doped with rare earth ions. The results were analysed in the framework of the Judd-Ofelt theory giving the values of the three Ω2, Ω4 and Ω6 intensity parameters over the rare earth series. On the other hand, high efficient infrared-to-blue upconversion has been observed in Tm3+-Yb3+ codoped glass and glass-ceramic compared to the Tm3+ single doped matrices. The contributions to the upconversion process of the rare earth ions in the nanocrystalline and in the vitreous phase of the glass-ceramics have been distinguished. Finally, laser action in Nd3+-doped glass-ceramic has been studied. Losses due to UV and visible upconverted emissions inside the laser cavity have been also estimated.