Abstract Er3+ ions doped sodium strontium gadolinium oxide and oxy-fluoride phosphate glass samples prepared by conventional melt quenching technique. The samples were melted at 1200 °C in electric furnace with alumina crucibles. The densities of the samples were measure with the help of Archimedes principle using water as immersion liquid. The refractive index (n) was measured by Abbe refractometer with a sodium-vapour lamp as a light source and using mono-bromonaphthalene (C10H7Br) as a contact liquid. The prepared glass samples were characterized with UV-Vis-NIR absorptions and NIR photoluminescence. The UV-Vis-NIR spectra show peaks at 379, 406, 488, 521, 548, 652, 803, 977, and 1536 nm which are due to the transitions from 4 I15/2 ground state to 2H9/2, 4F3/2, 4F7/2, 4H11/2, 4S3/2, 4F9/2, 4I11/2 and 4I13/2 exited states of Er3+ ions, respectively. In NIR emission one broad peak at 1543 nm is observed in present glass samples with 379 nm excitation. From NIR emission it is observed that the FFEr glass give better emission intensity than the GEr and FEr. McCumber theory was used to evaluate stimulated emission cross-section of 4I13/2→4I15/2 transition of Er3+ ion using the absorption spectral measurements. Thus, these results show that present glasses have the potential for use in efficient short and conventional-length optical amplifiers and tuneable lasers