Glass-based nanocomposite materials and confined structures for photonics

This paper presents recent advances in rare earth-activated glass-based nanocomposite photonic materials, which allow tailoring the spectroscopic properties of rare earth ions. The first example presents sol gel-derived erbium- activated ultra-transparent glass ceramics planar waveguides, fabricated starting from Er3+-activated silica-hafnia planar waveguides. The second one put in evidence the role of silver as erbium sensitizer in erbium-activated silver exchanged silicate glasses containing silver nanoparticles.