Enhanced IR luminescence properties of Ho3+ ions in oxide glasses modified by the introduction of chloride

• Ho 3+ -doped multifunctional multicomponent oxide glasses modified by chloride have been prepared. • Excellent thermal properties are obtained with rich structural evolution processes. • Excellent luminescence properties have been obtained under suitable pump sources. Ho 3+ -doped multifunctional multicomponent glass fibers with effective 2.8 μm emission have attracted significant attention owing to their wide range of applications in various fields over the past decades. However, certain challenges in satisfying the demands of high-efficiency lasers remain to be overcome. In this study, Ho 3+ ion single-doped oxide glasses modified by chloride were successfully fabricated and analyzed. The results of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated the multicomponent glass exhibited better thermal stability and crystallization resistance. The effect of varying chloride content on the structural units of the glass network was carefully analyzed based on the Raman results, indicated that the introduction of chloride can promote the transition of structural units in the glass network environment and lead to a positive impact on the luminescence of Ho 3+ ions. Furthermore, the mid-infrared luminescence of Ho 3+ was systematically investigated with enhanced luminescence performance under 650 and 1177 nm pumping sources. Hence, these experimental results suggested that Ho 3+ doped multicomponent glass can be considered as an attractive candidate medium for high-efficiency laser applications in the infrared region.