Optical, structural and luminescence properties of oxyfluoride phosphate glasses and glass-ceramics doped with Yb3+

Abstract

The impact of Al2O3 and Y2O3 addition on the structure, Yb3+ luminescence and crystallization is investigated for glasses in the P2O5-SrO-Na2O system. Although the addition of Al2O3 and Y2O3 leads to a more connected phosphate network as evidenced using IR and Raman spectroscopies and increases the glass transition temperature, it does not affect strongly the site of the Yb3+. The addition of Al2O3 and Y2O3 slightly decreases the rate of the glass crystallization. Surface crystallization occurs upon heat treatment. Crystallization was confirmed by the presence of sharp peaks in the XRD patterns of the glasses. Independently of the glass composition, different crystalline phases precipitate in the glasses upon heat treatment. The precipitation of the Na1O7P2Yb1 crystal phase leads to an increase of the excited state 2F5/2 lifetime of Yb3+ and also of the bandwidth of the Yb3+ emission band centered at 1 μm. Keywords: Yb3+ doped phosphate glasses, Heat treatment, Nucleation and growth, Raman & Infrared spectroscopies, Yb3+ luminescence properties