Transparent glass-ceramics in the TeO2-InF3 system

A crystallization study of the TeO2-InF3 glass system shows that the specific glass composition 75TeO(2)-25InF(3) stabilizes a novel cubic anti-glass phase within the glass matrix upon heat treatment. This peculiar crystalline phase also called "glass of anions" exhibits an interesting order/disorder coexistence, that is, a long-range cation order but with a highly disordered anion sublattice. The thermal properties, structure and microstructure of the parent glass and corresponding glass-ceramics have been studied. Finally, the luminescence of Yb3+-doped glass-ceramics has been characterized, which confirmed the presence of the disordered anti-glass phase.