Transparent Cr4+ Doped Forsterite Glass-Ceramics For Photonic Applications

Transition-metal ions are inefficient luminescent ions in glasses because they are sensitive to the local environment, which is highly variable and favours non-radiative processes. Crystals, by contrast, can be efficient hosts for these ions. On example is Cr4+ forsterite, which is used as a tunable near infra-red laser material in single crystal form. Transparent glass-ceramics with chrome-doped forsterite as the major phase have recently been fabricated in bulk and fibre form, and display similar luminescence to that of the single crystal.