Abstract
Highly transparent Er3+ doped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics containing cubic NaYbF4 nanocrystals were fabricated in an aluminosilicate matrix by melt-quenching technique. Their structural properties, optical properties and enhanced up-conversion behaviors were systemically investigated by XRD, TEM, HRTEM techniques and absorption, up-conversion spectra. Excited by 980nm laser, samples present characteristic emissions of Er3+. Compared with precursor glasses, the intensity of red emission increases by 15 times for GC650 after crystallization. Our work indicates that transparent NaYbF4 glass-ceramics may be used as potential host for up-conversion.
•NaYbF4:Er3+ nanocrystals (10nm) based glass-ceramics with 90% transmittance were successfully fabricated.•Glass ceramics exhibit intense characteristic red up-conversion of Er3+ under 980nm laser excitation.•Transparent NaYbF4 glass-ceramics may be used as potential host for up-conversion.