Luminescence characterization of Gd2O3–Ga2O3–SiO2-based glass with Nd3+ addition

A series of Gd2O3–Ga2O3–SiO2 (GGS)-based glasses doped with Nd2O3 were prepared by a conventional high-temperature melting-quenching method. The effect of Nd2O3 doping on the physical and luminescence properties was investigated and the preliminary research on crystallization behavior was also studied. The obtained results showed that the density and refractive index of the prepared GGS-based glasses increased with increasing Nd2O3 content. In the range of 400–900 nm, eight absorption peaks were observed in the Nd2O3-doped GGS-based glasses and the absorption intensity is enhanced with the increase of Nd2O3 content. Three emission peaks ascribed to the transitions from 4F3/2 to 4I9/2, 4I11/2, 4I13/2 at 898, 1057, 1330 nm were observed, respectively. The fluorescence emission intensity increased steeply when Nd2O3 concentration changed from 0.5 to 3.0 wt% and then decreased with the further increment of Nd2O3. Based on the analysis of Judd-Ofelt theory, the spectroscopic quality factor changed from 0.747 to 0.860 with the increase of Nd2O3 content, and the emission transition of 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 centered at ~1057 nm had a higher stimulated emission cross section (2.409–2.881 × 10−20 cm2), which has the potential to be used as a high-power laser (1.06 μm) output medium. The results of crystallization behavior indicated that the adjustment of glass composition or heat treatment schedule could help to obtain the transparent glass-ceramic. The prepared Nd3+-doped GGS-based glasses have the optimal fluorescence performance, which can be used as a potential solid-state optical functional material.