Preparation and 1.06 μm Fluorescence Decay of Nd3+-Doped Glass Ceramics Containing NaYF4 Nanocrystallites**Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China under Grant No 2017YFB0405302, the Scientific Research Fund of Sichuan Provincial Education Department under Grant No 15ZB0294, the Key Technical Project of Yibin City in 2015, the Scientific Research Project of Yibin University under Grant No 2015PY02,

Abstract

Considered to be a candidate for large-size bulk materials used in lasers and other fields, Nd3+-doped glass ceramics containing NaYF4 nanocrystallites are prepared. Using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, we show that pure cubic NaYF4 is well precipitated in the glass matrix. To obtain the optical property of this material at 1.06 μm, the fluorescence decay of 4F3/2 energy levels is measured and analyzed. It is found that the fluorescence lifetime decreases first and then increases with the increasing dopant concentration due to the existing but finally weakening energy dissipation. As a result, a long radiation lifetime of about 191–444 μs is obtained at 1.06 μm in the prepared material. It is thus revealed that Nd3+-doped glass ceramic containing NaYF4 nanocrystallites is a potential candidate as a near-infrared laser material.