Effect of B_2O_3 and fluoride additions on the Yb^3+ luminescence of an alumosilicate glass in the system Li_2O/MgO/Al_2O_3/SiO_2

Abstract

A series of glasses in the system Li2O/MgO/La2O3/Al2O3/B2O3/ Yb2O3/SiO2 was prepared and doped with 6·1020 Yb3+ ions per cm3 which corresponds to about 1.3 mol% Yb2O3 in the glass composition. In this series, Al2O3 was partially replaced by B2O3 up to a concentration of 15 mol%. Furthermore, Li2O and MgO were partially substituted for LiF and MgF2. All melts were bubbled with argon gas to ensure low OH- concentrations. B2O3 and fluoride additions strongly decrease the glass transition temperatures and viscosities of the melts enabling lower melting temperatures, lower Pt solubility and better homogenization of the melt. Furthermore, both additions slightly decrease the density and refractive indices of the glasses. The relatively low coefficients of thermal expansion remain largely unaffected. Increasing B2O3 concentrations do not negatively affect the luminescence lifetimes of Yb3+ despite their relatively high phonon energy. However, the fluoride addition and the OH- concentration strongly influence the luminescence lifetimes.