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We have prepared ErF3-doped glasses in the ZrF4–BaF2–LaF3–AlF3–NaF system containing chlorine ions substituted for fluorine ions. The crystallization behavior of the chlorine-substituted glasses has been studied at various BaCl2 and ErF3 concentrations. We have identified phases precipitating during heat treatment of the glasses and assessed the effect of chlorine substitution for fluoride on the optical absorption and IR luminescence in the glasses. The results demonstrate that chlorine substitution for fluorine causes the UV absorption edge of the glass to shift to longer wavelengths and produces an additional absorption in the visible spectral region. The formation of crystalline phases during heat treatment of the glasses leads to significant changes in the shape of the Er3+ luminescence bands at 0.98 and 1.55 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied luminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of manganese- and europium-activated fluorozirconate glasses in the ZrF4–BaF2–LaF3–AlF3–NaF (ZBLAN) system and fluorohafnate glasses in the HfF4–BaF2–LaF3–AlF3–NaF (HBLAN) system in order to assess the oxidation state and spatial distribution of the activator ions. The manganese luminescence band has been shown to shift from the green (545 nm) to the red (610 nm) spectral region, and additional lines in the EPR spectrum of manganese have been observed to emerge in the EPR spectrum of manganese as a result of BaCl2 substitution for BaF2 in the ZBLAN glass. The ratio of the concentration of free activator ions to that of clustered ions has been estimated quantitatively. It has been shown that, at high doping levels, the manganese and europium ions in the glasses are predominantly clustered, and only a small part of them are present as isolated ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis and characterization of multicolor light-emitting nanomaterials based on rare earths (RE3+) are of great importance due to their possible use in optoelectronic devices, such as LEDs or displays. In the present work, oxyfluoride glass-ceramics containing BaF2 nanocrystals co-doped with Tb3+, Eu3+ ions were fabricated from amorphous xerogels at 350 °C. The analysis of the thermal behavior of fabricated xerogels was performed using TG/DSC measurements (thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)). The crystallization of BaF2 phase at the nanoscale was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the changes in silicate sol–gel host were determined by attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. The luminescent characterization of prepared sol–gel materials was carried out by excitation and emission spectra along with decay analysis from the 5D4 level of Tb3+. As a result, the visible light according to the electronic transitions of Tb3+ (5D4 → 7FJ (J = 6–3)) and Eu3+ (5D0 → 7FJ (J = 0–4)) was recorded. It was also observed that co-doping with Eu3+ caused the shortening in decay times of the 5D4 state from 1.11 ms to 0.88 ms (for xerogels) and from 6.56 ms to 4.06 ms (for glass-ceramics). Thus, based on lifetime values, the Tb3+/Eu3+ energy transfer (ET) efficiencies were estimated to be almost 21% for xerogels and 38% for nano-glass-ceramics. Therefore, such materials could be successfully predisposed for laser technologies, spectral converters, and three-dimensional displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]