Bulk SiO2–PbF2 glass doped homogeneously with luminescent Ag nanoclusters has been synthesized using a melt-quenching technique. A broad range of luminescence from 400 nm to 900 nm can be excited with a broad range of UV and some visible excitation wavelengths. The luminescence spectra have been found to be invariant with excitation wavelength at room temperature, indicating a negligible distribution of Ag cluster sites. The UV excitation efficiency of Ag nanoclusters has been determined by shifting the absorption edge further into the UV using an Al2O3 glass-network modifier. The prepared glass is proposed as a low-cost glass phosphor for Hg-free environmentally-friendly white light generation in UV/blue-driven light emitting diodes, in flexible monitors and as down-shifting layers for enhanced solar cells.
