Silicate based transparent glass-ceramics containing YLiF₄(YLF) nanocrsystals have synthesized by conventional melt quenching of glass followed by controlled heat treatment of the precursor glass. X-ray diffraction powder pattern of the glass-ceramic revealed that precipitated crystalline phase was solely YLF. The averaged diameter of primary crystallites was roughly about 8 nm. It was confirmed by comparison of the fluorescent properties of rare-earth ions-doped precursor glass and glass-ceramic that rare-earth ions could be successfully incorporated into YLF nano-crystals in the glass-ceramics. This transparent glass-ceramic containing YLF nano-crystals is promising as a gain medium in rare earth-doped fiber lasers and amplifiers.

Date Published: 14 February 2011
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 7934, Optical Components and Materials VIII, 793403 (14 February 2011); doi: 10.1117/12.874309

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7934:
Optical Components and Materials VIII
Michel J. F. Digonnet; Shibin Jiang; John W. Glesener; J. Christopher Dries, Editor(s)