Multi-channel transition emissions of Sm³⁺ in lithium yttrium aluminum silicate glasses and derived opalescent glass ceramics

Sm³⁺-doped lithium-yttrium-aluminum-silicate (LYAS) glasses have been fabricated and effective visible and near-infrared (NIR) emissions are exhibited. The predicated spontaneous emission probabilities (Arad) are derived to be 29.1, 149.2, 150.1 and 39.0^s-1 for conventional visible emissions assigned to ⁴G_5/2→ ⁶H _J (J = 5/2, 7/2, 9/2 and 11/2) transitions, and A_rad are obtained to be 24.8, 4.6 and 2.7^s-1 for the optical transitions ⁴G_5/2→⁶F_J (J = 5/2, 7/2 and 9/2) corresponding to the NIR emissions, respectively. The maximum stimulated emission cross-sections (rem) are obtained to be 7.45 × 10 and 0.48 10^-22 cm² for visible (⁴G_5/2→ ⁶H_9/2) and NIR (⁴G_5/2→ ⁶F_9/2) emissions, respectively. Internal quantum efficiency for the ⁴G_5/2 level and external quantum yield for visible emissions of Sm³⁺ are determined to be 44.9% and 11.58%, respectively. High temperature heat treatment testing was carried out on the LYAS glasses and orientational crystallization was observed. Visible transition emissions of Sm³⁺ with obvious Stark splitting indicate Sm3+ ions have been introduced into the YAG micro-crystal formed in the glass ceramics. Investigations on multi-channel radiative transition emissions of Sm ³⁺ in LYAS glasses provide a new clue to develop tunable lasers, compact light sources and optoelectronic devices.