Broadband near-IR emission from cubic perovskite KZnF sub(3):Ni super(2+) nanocrystals embedded glass-ceramics

Transparent KF-ZnF sub(2)-SiO sub(2) glass-ceramics were prepared with the precipitation of KZnF sub(3):Ni super(2+) nanocrystals. During excitation with a wavelength of 405 nm at room temperature, a broadband near-IR emission centered at 1695 nm with the FWHM of more than 350 nm was observed, which is originated from the T sub(2)g3F super(3)) arrow right A sub(2)g super(3)iFd3 transition of octahedral Ni super(2+) incorporated in the KZnF sub(3) crystalline phase. In comparison to oxide glass-ceramics, a redshift of the luminescence is observed, which is due to the low crystal field of these octahedral Ni super(2+). The shift and extension of near-IR emission in the KZnF sub(3):Ni super(2+) nanocrystals embedded in a glassy matrix do not only complete the broadband emission in the whole near-IR region for the Ni super(2+) ions-based photonics, but also open an easy way to approach the broadband optical amplifier and tunable lasers operating in the wavelength region near 1800 nm, which was up to now achieved by codoping of several types of active ions.