Preparation of transparent oxyfluoroborate glass-ceramics containing CaF2〈Eu〉 crystals

The glass-forming region in the CaF2-Bi2O3-B2O3 system has been determined for the first time. We have prepared glasses of various compositions, investigated their physicochemical properties, and examined the effect of rare-earth (La, Nd, Eu, Dy, Er, Tm, Yb) doping on the crystallization behavior of the glasses. Transparent glass-ceramics containing ∼40-nm Ca1 − x Eu x F2 and Ca1 − x La x F2 crystallites have been obtained. The luminescence properties of the glasses and glass-ceramics have been studied.