LAUSR

Abstract Super broadband NIR (near-infrared) emission and energy transfer of Nd–Bi–Er co-doped transparent silicate glass-ceramics under excitation 808 nm laser diode were investigated. Super broadband NIR emission in Nd–Bi–Er co-doped extending from 1000 to 1600 nm with a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 600 nm were observed. This result is due to the overlapping NIR emission band centered at 1275 nm (ES1 → GS) of Bi-related and NIR emission band centered at 1063 nm (4F3/2 → 4I11/2) of Nd3+ as well as NIR emission spectral band centered at 1546 nm (4I13/2 → 4I15/2) of Er3+. At the same time, the energy transfer processes between Bi-related, Nd3+ and Er3+ were also discussed and proposed.