A Review of Rare Earth Ion-Doped Glasses: Physical, Optical, and Photoluminescence Properties

Abstract

Researchers worldwide have shown significant interest in doping glasses with rare-earth ions. This is particularly intriguing because rare-earth ions are extensively used to enhance the optical properties of host glasses, capitalizing on their unique spectroscopic characteristics due to optical transitions within the intra-4f shell. An in-depth review was conducted on various glass fabrication methods, such as sputtering, solgel, chemical vapor deposition, ion exchange, and direct melt quenching. The study emphasized the physical, optical, and photoluminescence properties of glasses made from glass formers co-doped with rare earth ions. Understanding the interrelationship between these properties is crucial for optimizing material performance across various technological applications. The research highlights the broad applicability of rare-earth-doped glasses in fields like white light emission, photonic devices, solid-state lasers, optical fiber communication, and biomedical applications