Eu2+ ions and CaF2-containing transparent glass-ceramics

Abstract Transparent glass-ceramics have been prepared by heat-treating 45SiO 2 –20Al 2 O 3 –10CaO–25CaF 2 glasses doped with Eu 2+ ions (in mol%). The precipitated crystalline phase in the glass-ceramics was CaF 2 . TEM observation showed the precipitated crystalline phase had a size of 11–18 nm and dispersed in the amorphous phase without clustering. Fluorescence measurements showed that Eu 2+ ions entered into the CaF 2 crystalline phase and gave a much stronger emission in the glass-ceramics than in the corresponding glass.