Intense green luminescence in Mn-doped gallogermanate nanostructured glass

Abstract Mn-activated optical materials have been demonstrated to be promising for various applications such as light-emitting device, tunable lasers and smart sensors. Most of the candidates belong to the single crystals and crystalline powders, and few reports involve about the glass-derived materials. This letter reports the fabrication of active Mn-doped nanostructured glass sample via control of the crystallization of a typical gallogermanate glass. LiGa₅O₈ and LiGaGeO₄ can precipitate after heat-treatment, and Mn centers selectively incorporate into the crystalline phase. Importantly, the luminescence can be switched from red to green colour and the intensity can be enhanced simultaneously. Furthermore, the luminescence properties can be tuned via control of the phase of the nanostructured glass.