A Unique Approach to Characterization of Sol‐Gel‐Derived Rare‐Earth‐Doped Oxyfluoride Glass‐Ceramics

Abstract

Using the sol‐gel route Nd 3+ ‐doped oxyfluoride glass‐ceramics were prepared. LiYF 4 and YF 3 crystals were deposited in the glass‐ceramics and their size, distribution, and amount ratio were varied by changing the compositions and heating temperatures. The incorporation of Nd 3+ ions into both the fluoride crystals was confirmed by the high‐resolution elemental mapping of the glass‐ceramics. The incorporated Nd 3+ ions showed up and down conversion photoluminescence whose properties were obviously different among the samples. The preliminary site analysis for Nd 3+ ions was carried out using a unique approach associated with the Prony series approximation. Finally, the approach was found to be useful for the analysis of materials that are structurally complicating.