Spectroscopic and stimulated emission characteristics of Nd3+ in transparent glass ceramic embedding β-YF3 nanocrystals

A transparent SiO2-Al2O3-LiF-YF3 glass ceramic doped with Nd3+ was fabricated by melt quenching and subsequent heating. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope results demonstrated that orthorhombic beta-YF3 nanocrystals with a mean size of 23 nm were homogeneously precipitated among the glass matrix. Confirmed by the energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy measurements, the crystal-like absorption and emission of Nd3+ indicated the partition of Nd3+ into YF3 nanocrystals in the glass ceramic. Detailed characterizations of the Stark components of the I-4(9/2), I-4(11/2), and I-4(13/2) manifolds were performed using the low temperature fluorescence spectra for F-4(3/2)-> I-4(9/2), F-4(3/2)-> I-4(11/2), and F-4(3/2)-> I-4(13/2) transitions of Nd3+ in the glass ceramic. The stimulated emission cross sections of the F-4(3/2)-> I-4(11/2) intermanifold transition and the F-4(3/2)(R-1)-> I-4(11/2)(Y-1) inter-Stark transition were determined to be 7.24x10(-20) and 11.55x10(-20) cm(2), respectively, being preferable to those of Nd3+-doped laser glasses and glass ceramic embedding (Pb,Cd)F-2 nanocrystals. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.