Preparation and optical properties of Er3+: Na2O-Al2O3-SiO2 transparent glass-ceramics

Na2O-Al2O3-SiO2 glass-ceramics doped with Er3+ ions were synthesized by the conventional melt quenching technique at a low melting temperature. The samples were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis-NIR scanning spectrophotometry, and fluorescence spectrometry. The results show that the main crystalline phase of glass-ceramics is nepheline.The best heat-treatment process is at 520 °C for 2 h. Because the up-conversion luminescence and near infrared luminescence properties of glass doped with Eu3+ are studied in detail.