In this paper, we investigate and report the effects of Si4+/Al3+ (SiO2/Al2O3) molar concentration ratio on the self-reduction process of Yb3+ to Yb2+ ions and upconversion (UC)-, visible (VIS)- emission spectra, direct optical bandgaps (DOB), indirect optical bandgaps (IOB) of Bin+/Ybm+, Er3+/Bin+, and Er3+/Bin+/Ybm+ (n, m = 3, 2) co-doped SiO2–Al2O3–MgO–TiO2 (SAMT) magnesium aluminum silicate glasses. The valence states of the bismuth (Bi), and Ytterbium (Yb) elements in the raw materials mixture existing in the SAMT glass were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra analysis. With the increase of Al3+ molar concentration from 16 mol. % up to 20, 24, 28 and 32 mol. % corresponding to the Si4+/Al3+ (SiO2/Al2O3) molar concentration ratio of 3.4, 2.5, 1.9, 1.5, and 1.2, the self-reduction process of Yb3+ to Yb2+ ions was enhanced and thus significantly affected the DOB, IOB, the intensities of UC-, VIS- emission spectra of Bin+/Ybm+, Bin+/Er3+, and Bin+/Er3+/Ybm+ (n = 2, 3) co-doped SAMT glasses under excitation of 473 nm, 808 laser diode (LD) and 980 nm LD. In addition, the CIE 1931(x, y) color coordinates for VIS- and UC- emissions spectra of Bin+/Ybm+, Bin+/Er3+ (n = 2, 3) co-doped SAMT under excitation of 473 nm and 808 nm LD are also calculated and determined in the CIE 1931(x, y) chromaticity diagram.
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