GLASS FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE OPTICS AND LASER TECHNOLOGY

Fluoride phosphate glasses having special optical properties are attractive candidates for applications in high performance optics and laser technology. Their potentially good UV-transmittance, luminescence and solarization properties depend on the melting conditions and trace impurities from raw materials and crucible materials. Glasses melted under reducing conditions using normal quality batch materials yield glasses with higher UV-transmittance near 250 nm but with stronger luminescence and solarization effects than glasses melted under normal conditions. Fluoride phosphate glass with low impurity content can be UV-transmitting optical materials that are complementary to silica glass and fluoride crystals.