Effect of different Er3+ compounds doping on microstructure and photoluminescent properties of oxyfluoride glass ceramics

Four different erbium compounds: Er2O3, ErOF, ErF3 and ErCl3, doped oxyfluoride glass ceramics were prepared. The microstructure and optical properties of the glasses and glass ceramics were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), absorption spectra and luminescence spectra. The influence of four different Er3+ compounds on the microstructure and optical properties of the glasses and their corresponding glass ceramics was analyzed in detail. The results indicated that upconversion luminescence and ratios of red to green emission of all the samples have close relationship with microstructures and the variety of the Er3+ compounds. It was concluded that the glass ceramics doped with ErF3 was the most beneficial for the precipitation of PbF2 crystallites and had the lowest ratio of red to green emission. The mechanisms of the observed phenomena were discussed.