Effect of nano-scale crystal field on the broadening of Er3+-emission in sodium tellurite glass ceramics

In this paper we report the effect of heat treatment of 10 mol% Na2O- 89.5 mol% TeO2 glass for studying the fluorescence and line broadening behavior of Er- ions in the glass- ceramic matrix. Controlled crystal growth measurements using the X-ray line broadening technique for samples heat treated in the temperature range of 583-693 K were carried out and compared with the photoluminescence studies. The influence of crystal growth on line broadening of I-4(13/2) spectra and metastable lifetime of I-4(13/2) level is compared for various heat treatment temperatures. The full- widthofhalf maxima increase with increasing heat treatment temperature and then fall rapidly at high temperatures. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America.