Effect of Preparation Method on the Optical Properties of Novel Luminescent Glass-Crystalline Composites

Phosphor-in-glass (PiG) composites are promising materials for applications in various fields of material engineering. There are competing methods of preparation of PiGs which result in materials with different structural and performance characteristics. The glass-crystal composites comprising tellurite-zinc-sodium glass (TZN) and perovskite LaAlO3 doped with Eu3+ (LAO:Eu) are prepared using three distinct methods: remelt, direct-doping and co-sintering, in order to evaluate the impact of the preparation method on the structural, optical and luminescence properties of the novel phosphor-in-glass (PiG) composites. The composites prepared by the remelt and direct-doping method suffer from the decomposition of LAO:Eu and Eu3+ ion diffusion into the glass matrix. The highest rate of preservation and luminescence intensity of LAO:Eu is achieved in the composites prepared by the co-sintering method. Unfortunately, the loss of transparency is substantial. This article demonstrates the challenges and tradeoffs that are yet to be resolved in preparation of PiG composites. The preservation of the crystalline phase leads to the lower transparency of the final material.