Modification of structure and properties of fluoro-sulfo-sodium alumino-phosphate glass through additional fluorine and sulfur agents

Laser glass has been widely used in laser ignition devices, fundamental physical research, and material processing. In addition to the exploration of the glass composition, the optimization of preparation conditions is also of crucial importance to the performance of laser glass. Herein, the modification effect of additional fluorine and sulfur agents on Nd 3+ -doped fluoro-sulfo-phosphate glasses (FSP) has been investigated in detail. The contents of F and S were increased by up to 42% and 40% after agent addition. Fluorine and sulfur agents also decrease the non-linear effect and increase the chemical durability of FSP glasses, respectively. Moreover, the local environment around Nd 3+ ions is examined by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)., The direct connection between Nd-F and the possible connection between Nd 3+ and [SO 4 ] 2− have been detected with agent addition, which facilitate the promotion of radiation parameters. The emission cross-section and quantum efficiency of FSP glass increase by up to 56% and 54% after agent addition. This study aims to demonstrate the structure and property variations brought by additional agents, providing insight into the optimization of the melting procedure of high-performance FSP laser glasses.