Photoluminescence of Eu3+, Tb3+ and Tm3+-doped transparent SiO2–Al2O3–LiF–GdF3 glass ceramics

Abstract: In this paper, we present the photoluminescence properties of Eu3+, Tb3+ and Tm3+-doped oxyfluoride alumino-silicate glasses and glass ceramics. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) profiles of these glasses have been carried out, to confirm their structure and thermal stability. Compared to Eu3+, Tb3+ and Tm3+-doped glasses, their respective glass ceramics have shown stronger emissions due to the presence of LiGdF4 crystalline phase. For Eu3+-doped glass and glass ceramics, five emission bands centered at 578nm (5D0 → 7F0), 592nm (5D0 → 7F1), 614nm (5D0 → 7F2), 652nm (5D0 → 7F3) and 698nm (5D0 → 7F4) have been observed with 394nm (5D0 → 7L6) excitation wavelength. Of them, 614nm (5D0 → 7F2) has shown bright reddish-orange emission. With regard to the Tb3+-doped glass and glass ceramic, four emission bands centered at 491nm (5D4 → 7F6), 545nm (5D4 → 7F5), 587nm (5D4 → 7F4) and 622nm (5D4 → 7F3) have been observed with an excitation at 377nm (3F6 → 5G6) wavelength. Of them, 545nm (5D4 → 7F5) has shown bright green emission. Emission bands of 1G4 → 3F4 (650nm) and 3F3 → 3H6 (708nm) transitions for the Tm3+:glass and glass ceramic, with an excitation at 3H6 → 1G4 (469nm) have been observed. The stimulated emission cross-sections of all the emission bands of Eu3+, Tb3+ and Tm3+:glasses and glass ceramics have been computed based on their measured full-width at half maximum (FWHM, Δλ) and lifetimes (τ m). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]