Future technological applications of rare-earth-doped materials

The possible uses of rare-earth-doped glasses or crystals are discussed in connection with. (a) luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs),. (b) light sources for fibre optics and. (c) glass lasers. LSCs can be made from glasses which absorb the major part of the solar spectrum and concentrate the emitted fluorescence at wavelengths to which the photovoltaic cells are most sensitive. The ways in which such glasses can be prepared using a combination of UO²⁺₂ or Cr³⁺ with Nd³⁺ and Yb³⁺ are discussed. An economical analysis of the new type of collector is given. The use of Er³⁺ in fluoride glasses for fibre waveguide sources is outlined and recent results are presented. References are made to new laser materials based on Er³⁺ and Ho³⁺.