Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention an optically active glass contains Sb2O3, up to about 4 mole % of an oxide of a rare earth element, and 0-20 mole % of a metal halide selected from the group consisting of a metal fluoride, a metal bromide, a metal chloride, and mixtures thereof, wherein this metal is a trivalent metal, a divalent metal, a monovalent metal, and mixtures thereof. In addition, any of the glass compositions described herein may contain up to 15 mole % B2O3 substituted for an equivalent amount of Sb2O3.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an oxyhalide glass matrix including 0-70 mol. % SiO2, 5-35 mol. % Al2O3, 1-50 mol. % B2O3, 5-35 mol. % R2O, 0-12 wt. % F, 0-12 wt. % Cl, and 0 to 0.2 mol. % rare earth element, wherein R is Li, Na, K, Rb, or Cs. The present invention further relates to a method of producing the glass matrix and to a method of modifying the spectral properties of an oxyhalide glass.

Abstract: A glass consisting essentially of antimony oxide. An optically active glass consisting essentially of antimony oxide and up to about 4 mole % of an oxide of a rare earth element. A rare earth-doped, antimony oxide-containing glass including 0-99 mole % SiO2, 0-99 mole % GeO2, 0-75 mole % (Al, Ga)2O3, 0.5-99 mole % Sb2O3, and up to about 4 mole % of an oxide of a rare earth element. The oxide of the rare earth element may comprise Er2O3. The glass of the invention further includes fluorine, expressed as a metal fluoride. An optical energy-producing or light-amplifying device, in particular, an optical amplifier, comprising the above-described glass. The optical amplifier can be either a fiber amplifier or a planar amplifier, either of which may have a hybrid composition. Embodiments of the glass of the invention can be formed by conventional glass making techniques, while some of the high content antimony oxide embodiments are formed by splat or roller quenching.