Crystallization, structure and fluorescence emission of Nd3+- and Yb3+-doped NCS transparent glass-ceramics

Nd3+- and Yb3+-doped glasses and highly crystalline transparent glass-ceramics in the Na2O–CaO–SiO2 (NCS) system have been successfully prepared. Compared with Nd3+-doped NCS glass, the Yb3+-doped NCS glass has a stronger crystallization trend. The Nd3+- and Yb3+-doped NCS glass-ceramics contain about 84.35±5 vol% of Na6Ca3Si6O18 and 87.03±5 vol% of Na4Ca4Si6O18, respectively. The two crystal phases have the same basic structural units composed of 6-membered rings formed by 6 [SiO4] groups but the phase in the Yb3+-doped NCS glass-ceramics has a composition ratio more similar to its parent glass. The transmittance of the Yb3+-doped NCS glass-ceramics is higher than that of Nd3+-doped sample. Strong fluorescence emissions have been observed for the Nd3+-and Yb3+-doped NCS glass-ceramics, which indicates the potential of rare earth ions-doped highly crystalline transparent glass-ceramics for use as laser medium materials.