Solubility of YAG:Nd in borate glass–luminescence and Raman investigation

YAG:Nd powders obtained by grinding a single crystal and synthesized by modified sol–gel and combustion methods were embedded at the stage of melting in a multicomponent borate glass to obtain luminescent glass–ceramic systems. Room temperature optical absorption spectra, luminescence spectra at room temperature and at 10 K and micro-Raman spectra were recorded to determine the location of Nd3+ ions in composite materials. It has been concluded that their luminescence characteristics depend critically on the preparation method hence the morphology of precursor crystalline YAG:Nd powders as a consequence of dissimilar solubility of crystallites in a host glass.

► In the present work we investigate glass–ceramic systems obtained by melting the sintered samples mentioned above. ► Intention of the work is to get a more close insight into the nature of luminescent centres in these materials. In the first approach low temperature luminescence spectra recorded upon a bulk excitation, denoted as “macroscopic” are analysed to assess the effect of the solubility of crystalline phase. ► In the second approach denoted as “microscopic” selected areas of samples were illuminated by an incident light beam with a diameter of about 1 micrometer and resulting Raman scattering spectra and luminescence spectra are compared.