Low-temperature synthesis of glass ceramics containing YNbO$_{4}$ : Eu$^{3+}$ crystallites

The main purpose of this work was to carry out a low-temperature synthesis of glass ceramics containing YNbO$_{4}$ : Eu$^{3+}$ crystallites and to study the structural and luminescent properties of the obtained samples. Within the framework of this work, the inclusions that crystallized under the conditions of low-temperature synthesis in the systems of SiO$_{2}$–Na$_{2}$O–K$_{2}$O–Y$_{2}$O$_{3}$–Nb$_{2}$O$_{5}$–Eu$_{2}$O$_{3}$ (SiNaK) and B$_{2}$O$_{5}$–Na$_{2}$O–Y$_{2}$O$_{3}$–Nb$_{2}$O$_{5}$–Eu$_{2}$O$_{3}$ (BNa) were investigated for the first time. It was shown that YNbO$_{4}$ : Eu$^{3+}$ crystallized in both considered systems. In the SiNaK system the crystallization of SiO$_2$ also occurred (quartz, crisstabolite, and tridymite) under the selected conditions. The BNa system proved to be the most promising for the synthesis of activated glass-ceramics with YNbO$_4$, since the required crystallites crystallized only in ithis system. The luminescent properties of crystalline inclusions were investigated using the local cathodoluminescence technique. The composition and structure of glass ceramics were studied by electron-probe microanalysis and X-ray diffraction phase analysis.