Spectroscopic properties of transparent Er-doped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics with GdF₃

Optically active glass-ceramics (GC) with the low-phonon phases of fluorides, doped with Er(3+) was studied. Glass based on SiO₂-Al₂O₃-Na₂F₂-Na₂O-GdF₃-BaO system was obtained. Dopant were introduced to the glass in an amount of 0.01 mol Er₂O₃ per 1 mol of glass. DTA/DSC study shows multi-stage crystallization. XRD identification of obtained phases did not confirm the presence of pure GdF₃ phase. Instead of that ceramization process led to formation of NaGdF₄ and BaGdF₅. The structural changes were studied using FT-IR spectroscopic method. The study of luminescence of the samples confirmed that optical properties of the obtained GC depend on crystallizing phases during ceramization. Time resolved spectroscopy of Er-doped glass showed the 3 and 8 times increase of lifetime of emission from (4)S₃/₂ and (4)F₉/₂ states, respectively. It confirms the erbium ions have ability to locate in the low phonon gadolinium-based crystallites. The results give possibility to obtain a new material for optoelectronic application.