Role of the Eu3+ ions in the formation of transparent oxyfluoride glass ceramics

Optical properties of Eu3+ ions in oxyfluoride glass ceramics and in the precursor glasses (30 SiO2, 15 Al2O3, 29 CdF2, 22 PbF2, 1.5 YF3, and 2.5 EuF3, in mol %) have been analyzed and compared. The Eu3+ ions in the glass ceramics are incorporated into a crystalline environment with higher symmetry and lower energy coupled phonons. Emission measurements indicate that this crystalline phase is EuF3, instead of PbxCd1-xF2 as generally considered. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.