Nd3+-doped glass-ceramic fiber fabricated by drawing precursor ceramic and successive heat treatment.

Optical fibers have been formed by replacing precursor glass core with precursor ceramic core, in which drawing process, the precursor ceramic melted to fill the space of the core region while the clad glass was softened. Nd3+ doped LaNbO 4 nanocrystals were precipitated in the core after heat treatment. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, optical microscope, and photoluminescence were used to characterize the obtained fiber. No crystallization, cracking, bubble, or undissolved substance is observed in the core region of precursor fiber. Nd3+ doped LaNbO 4 nanocrystals are precipitated in the core region after thermal treatment. Under the pumping source of 808 nm, three emission bands located at ∼887 nm, ∼1064 nm, and ∼1337 nm are observed, which makes this GC fiber a promising material for the NIR fiber amplifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]