Crystallization behavior of rare-earth doped fluorochlorozirconate glasses

A series of fluorochlorozirconate (FCZ) glasses, each doped with a different rare-earth, was prepared and examined to determine thermal stability and activation energy, E_a , of the dopant dependent BaCl₂ crystallization. Non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were done to investigate the endothermic and exothermic reactions upon heat treatment of the glass samples. In comparison to the rare-earth free FCZ glass, significant changes in the Hruby constant, H_r , and E_a were found due to the addition of a rare-earth and also between the individual dopants.