Broadband near-infrared emission from transparent Ni2+-doped silicate glass ceramics

Transparent ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{2+}$ -doped $\mathrm{Mg}\mathrm{O}–{\mathrm{Al}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3–\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_2–\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{O}}_2$ glass ceramics were prepared, and the optical properties of ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{2+}$ -doped glass ceramics were investigated. Broadband emission centered at $1320\mathrm{nm}$ was observed by $980\mathrm{nm}$ excitation. The longer wavelength luminescence compared with ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{2+}$ -doped ${\mathrm{Li}}_2\mathrm{O}–{\mathrm{Ga}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3–\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{O}}_2$ glass ceramics is ascribed to the low crystal field hold by ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{2+}$ in $\mathrm{Mg}\mathrm{O}–{\mathrm{Al}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3–\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_2–\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{O}}_2$ glass ceramics. The change in optical signals at the telecommunication bands with or without $980\mathrm{nm}$ excitation was also measured when the seed beam passes through the bulk gain host.