Local atomic structure and optical properties of zinc-phosphate glasses single-doped with Ag, Au, Rb, Nd and Er

•Type, structure of Ag, Au, Rb, Nd, Er centers in single-doped PZ glasses determined.•Ag, Au, Rb, Nd, Er local structures similarity in glasses and reference crystals revealed.•Structural parameters and specifics of such similarity for each PZ glass determined. Effect of single-doping by Ag2O (8 mol.%), Au2O (0.016 mol.%), Rb2O (8 mol.%), Nd2O3 (0.5 mol.%), Er2O3 (0.5 mol.%) on the structure and optical properties of zinc-phosphate (PZ) glasses was studied. Crystal-chemical similarity of local structures of the dopants in these glasses and in the revealed for them reference crystals of corresponding chemical composition was established by XANES/EXAFS. The specifics of this principle for each of the glasses was determined. Combining the obtained parameters of the embedded metal's local structure with TEM, absorption and photoluminescence (PL) data, the presence of color centers (ionic dimers, nanoclusters, nanoparticles (NPs)), their specific type and optical performances were determined. It was shown that Nd, Er are homogeneously distributed in as-prepared PZ glass without clustering, retaining their PL properties. Formation of Ag, Au, Rb color centers and Au NPs in as-prepared single-doped PZ glasses were studied. [Display omitted]