Er3+ and Eu3+ containing transparent glass ceramics in the system PbGeO3-PbF2-CdF2

Glasses with composition 60PbGeO(3)-10PbF(2)-30CdF(2) (mol%) have been obta ined in the bulk form with a high stability against crystallization. After doping them with 0.5 mol% of Er3+ or Eu3+ and appropriate heat treatment tr ansparent glass ceramics could be obtained. Electronic spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy measurements have been mad e. beta-PbF2: Er3+/Eu3+ Single crystals, 5-10 nm in size, are detected in t he otherwise transparent composite medium, the size of the particles and ab sence of clustering allowing for the increased transparency of the final ma terials. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.