Controllable growth of Ce3+-doped fluoride nanocrystals (LaF3/KLaF4) in fluorosilicate glass

Abstract

Controllable growth of nanocrystals (NCs) in optical glasses is essential to impart photonic functions for demanded applications. Here, Ce3+-doped KLaF4 and LaF3 fluoride NCs are controllably precipitated in a fluorosilicate glass via adjusting the duration and temperature of thermal treatment. The presence of phase separation in the precursor glass (PG) is derived from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and serves as the driving factor for the crystallization of fluoride NCs. The phase separation of PG, NCs distribution, microscopic morphology and particle size of NCs precipitated in the nano-glass composites (nano-GCs) are investigated by analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Structural and spectroscopic characterizations confirm the influence of the thermal treatment on the crystalline species in the nano-GCs. The developed nano-GCs exhibit intense X-ray excited luminescence with an excellent linearity with the X-ray dosage and a good thermal stability, making them suitable for radiation detection and medical imaging applications.