Structure and Luminescence Properties of Transparent Germanate Glass-Ceramics Co-Doped with Ni 2+ /Er 3+ for Near-Infrared Optical Fiber Application.

An investigation of the structural and luminescent properties of the transparent germanate glass-ceramics co-doped with Ni ²⁺ /Er ³⁺ for near-infrared optical fiber applications was presented. Modification of germanate glasses with 10-20 ZnO (mol.%) was focused to propose the additional heat treatment process controlled at 650 °C to obtain transparent glass-ceramics. The formation of 11 nm ZnGa ₂ O ₄ nanocrystals was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. It followed the glass network changes analyzed in detail (MIR-Mid Infrared spectroscopy) with an increasing heating time of precursor glass. The broadband 1000-1650 nm luminescence (λ _exc = 808 nm) was obtained as a result of Ni ²⁺ : ³ T ₂ ( ³ F) → ³ A ₂ ( ³ F) octahedral Ni ²⁺ ions and Er ³⁺ : ⁴ I _13/2 → ⁴ I _15/2 radiative transitions and energy transfer from Ni ²⁺ to Er ³⁺ with the efficiency of 19%. Elaborated glass-nanocrystalline material is a very promising candidate for use as a core of broadband luminescence optical fibers.