Recent advances in luminescence and lasing research in ZBYA glass

Abstract

In the last few decades, fluoride glasses have attracted a growing interest due to their unique advantages compared to multi-component oxide glasses. Among them, the most studied and widely used were fluorozirconate glasses, represented by ZrF 4 –BaF 2 –LaF 3 –AlF 3 –NaF (ZBLAN) glasses. However, compared with ZBLAN glasses, a kind of fluorozirconate glass with the components ZrF 4 –BaF 2 –YF 3 –AlF 3 (ZBYA) has higher thermal and chemical stability. In this paper, we first introduce the advantages of ZBYA glasses compared to ZBLAN glasses. Then we review and discuss recent advances in research on luminescence and lasing in ZBYA glass and fiber. These studies suggest that ZBYA glass has strong potential for use as a gain medium material in high power mid-infrared fiber lasers.