Glasses in the system ZrF4–BaF2–BiF3: Thermal and spectroscopic properties

•The glasses in the ZrF4–BiF3–BaF2 system have been synthesized and investigated.•The thermal characteristics of glasses are measured.•The crystallization process is studied.•The glass structural information is provided.•The contribution of photoluminescence of bismuth was found for the glass doped with 1% Bi.

The glasses in the ZrF4–BiF3–BaF2 system with different content of bismuth trifluoride have been investigated. The trends of the decrease of glass transition and crystallization temperatures along with the increase of the BiF3 content in glass, the presence of more than one crystallization peak and composition of crystalline phases in glasses have been revealed. All the studied glasses of the fluorozirconate series have nanosized heterogeneities of virtually the same scale. The crystallization process depends on the bismuth trifluoride content in glass. The contribution of photoluminescence of bismuth with transition emission 540 nm was found for the glass doped with 1% Bi.