Broadband NIR luminescence of Bi-doped Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2 glass-ceramics

Abstract Transparent Bi-doped Li 2 O-Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 (LAS) glass-ceramics are prepared by controlled nucleation and crystallization of glasses with TiO 2 worked as nucleating agents. The presence of β-eucryptite (LiAlSiO 4 ) crystalline phase can be indicated by X-ray diffraction analyses. Enhanced near infrared luminescence in the range of 1000 ~ 1550 nm with FWHM over 270 nm is observed from Bi-doped LiAlSiO 4 glass-ceramics compared with initial glass. Blue emission centered at 425 nm in glass and glass-ceramics could be ascribed to the emission band of the Bi 3+ ions ( 3 P 1 – 1 S 0 ). Based on optical basicity theory, the broad infrared luminescence from the Bi-doped LAS glass and glass-ceramics can be derived from low valence Bi ions. The possible mechanism of the enhancement of near infrared (NIR) fluorescence is also discussed in this manuscript.