Temperature-dependent broadband near-infrared luminescence in silicate glass ceramics containing Li2MgSiO4: Cr4+ nanocrystals

Transparent glass ceramics containing Li 2 MgSiO 4 : Cr 4+ nanocrystallites were prepared. Intense broadband near-infrared emission with full width at half-maximum larger than 200 nm and long fluorescence lifetime (τ > 100 μs) were observed. The temperature-dependent optical characteristics of the glass ceramics containing Li 2 MgSiO 4 : Cr 4+ crystallites were compared to those of Li 2 MgSiO 4 : Cr 4+ single crystals. The reason for extra-long near-infrared fluorescence lifetime was illuminated by the mixed effect between 3 T 2 and 1 E levels. The crystal-filed-induced particular energy-level scheme makes the fluorescence lifetime of the glass ceramics containing Li 2 MgSiO 4 : Cr 4+ crystallites one order longer than those of other Cr 4+ -doped glass ceramics.