EPR characterization of erbium in glasses and glass ceramics

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is a well-established spectroscopic technique for electronic structure characterization of rare-earth ion impurities in crystalline and amorphous hosts. EPR spectra of erbium-doped glass matrices and nanocomposites can provide information about local structure variations induced by changes in chemical composition or crystallization processes. Characterization possibilities of Er3+ ions in glasses and glass ceramics including direct EPR measurements, indirect investigations via secondary paramagnetic probes, and optically detected magnetic resonance techniques are considered in this article.