Abstract

${\text{Cr}}^{4+}$-doped transparent $\beta {\text{-Zn}}_2{\text{SiO}}_4$ glass-ceramics were prepared by heat treatment on the as-made glasses. It was confirmed from the absorption spectra that ${\text{Cr}}^{4+}$-doped $\beta {\text{-Zn}}_2{\text{SiO}}_4$ glass-ceramics are indeed a low-field system. The broadband infrared emission centering at 1342 nm with the full width at half-maximum of more than 285 nm was observed by exciting the glass-ceramics with the excitation of an 808 nm laser diode. The observed infrared emission could be attributed to ${\text{Cr}}^{4+}$ ions at low-field sites in $\beta {\text{-Zn}}_2{\text{SiO}}_4$ glass-ceramics.

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