Oxyfluoride glasses with a small amount of NiO are prepared using a conventional melt quenching technique, and the spatially selected crystallization of LaF 3 and CaF 2 crystals is induced on the glass surface by irradiations of continuous wave lasers with a wavelength of λ=1064 or 1080nm. Dots and lines including LaF 3 crystals are patterned by heat-assisted (300°C) laser irradiations (λ=1064nm) with a power of P=1W and an irradiation time of 10s for dots and a scanning speed of S=5μm/s for lines. Lines consisting of CaF 2 crystals are also patterned in an ErF 3 -doped oxyfluoride glass by laser irradiations (λ=1080nm) with a power of P=1.7W and a scanning speed of S=2μm/s, and the incorporation of Er 3+ ions into CaF 2 crystals is confirmed from micro-photoluminescence spectrum measurements. It is proposed that the lines patterned by laser irradiations in this study are consisted of the composite of LaF 3 or CaF 2 nanocrystals and SiO 2 -based oxide glassy phase. It is demonstrated that a combination of Ni 2+ -dopings and laser irradiations is effective in spatially selected local crystallizations of fluorides in oxyfluoride glasses.
