Optical properties of Eu3+ in oxyfluoroborate glass and its nanocrystalline glass

Optical properties of Eu3+ doped oxyfluoroborate glasses containing different concentrations of BaF2 have been studied. The emission is found to be maximum at 20 mol% of BaF2. Transparent oxyfluoroborate glass ceramic with 15-20% volume fraction of fluoride nano-crystals are prepared from the Eu3+ doped glass using heat treatment and the optical properties of Eu3+ ions in such a glass ceramic have been studied and compared with those of the original glasses. Luminescence and absorption measurements reveal higher cross-sections in the glass ceramic. Addition of Bi2O3 during glass formation, with a fixed concentration of BaF2 content, increases the stability of the glass and heat treatment of such a glass leads to increase in its luminescence intensity. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.