Optically transparent glass ceramic materials comprising a glass phase containing and a crystalline tungsten bronze phase comprising nanoparticles and having the formula M.sub.xWO.sub.3, where M includes at least one H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cu, Ag, Sn, Cd, In, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and U, and where 0<x<1. Aluminosilicate and zinc-bismuth-borate glasses comprising at least one of Sm.sub.2O.sub.3, Pr.sub.2O.sub.3, and Er.sub.2O.sub.3 are also provided.

Optically transparent glass ceramic materials comprising a glass phase containing and a crystalline tungsten bronze phase comprising nanoparticles and having the formula M.sub.xWO.sub.3, where M includes at least one H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cu, Ag, Sn, Cd, In, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and U, and where 0<x<1. Aluminosilicate and zinc-bismuth-borate glasses comprising at least one of Sm.sub.2O.sub.3, Pr.sub.2O.sub.3, and Er.sub.2O.sub.3 are also provided.

Optically transparent glass ceramic materials comprising a glass phase containing and a crystalline tungsten bronze phase comprising nanoparticles and having the formula M.sub.xWO.sub.3, where M includes at least one H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cu, Ag, Sn, Cd, In, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and U, and where 0<x<1. Aluminosilicate and zinc-bismuth-borate glasses comprising at least one of Sm.sub.2O.sub.3, Pr.sub.2O.sub.3, and Er.sub.2O.sub.3 are also provided.

Manufacturing glass ceramic materials comprises ceramming a glass to grow a crystalline tungsten bronze phase comprising nanoparticles having a formula M.sub.xWO.sub.3, where M includes a dopant cation, and where 0<x<1.

Optically transparent glass ceramic materials comprising a glass phase containing and a crystalline tungsten bronze phase comprising nanoparticles and having the formula M.sub.xWO.sub.3, where M includes at least one H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cu, Ag, Sn, Cd, In, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and U, and where 0<x<1. Aluminosilicate and zinc-bismuth-borate glasses comprising at least one of Sm.sub.2O.sub.3, Pr.sub.2O.sub.3, and Er.sub.2O.sub.3 are also provided.

An article that includes: SiO.sub.2 from 40 mol % to 80 mol %; Al.sub.2O.sub.3 from 1 mol % to 15 mol %; B.sub.2O.sub.3 from 5 mol % to 50 mol %; WO.sub.3 from 1 mol % to 15 mol %; WO.sub.3 plus MoO.sub.3 from 1 mol % to 18 mol %; SnO.sub.2 from 0.01 mol % to 1 mol %; and R.sub.2O from 1.1 mol % to 16 mol %. The R.sub.2O is one or more of Li.sub.2O, Na.sub.2O, K.sub.2O, Rb.sub.2O and Cs.sub.2O. R.sub.2O minus Al.sub.2O.sub.3 ranges from +0.1 mol % to +4 mol %.

A photochromic glass that includes a base glass and a photochromic agent is described. The base glass is a modified boroaluminosilicate glass and the photochromic agent is a nanocrystalline cuprous halide phase. The photochromic glass exhibits a sharp cutoff in the UV or short wavelength visible portion of the spectrum along with an absorption band at longer wavelengths in the visible. The nanocrystalline cuprous halide phase includes Cu.sup.2+, which provides states within the bandgap of the cuprous halide that permit the glass to absorb visible light. Absorption of visible light drives a photochromic transition without compromising the sharp cutoff. The nanocrystalline cuprous halide phase may optionally include Ag.

Optically transparent glass ceramic materials comprising a glass phase containing and a crystalline tungsten bronze phase comprising nanoparticles and having the formula M.sub.xWO.sub.3, where M includes at least one H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cu, Ag, Sn, Cd, In, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and U, and where 0<x<1. Aluminosilicate and zinc-bismuth-borate glasses comprising at least one of Sm.sub.2O.sub.3, Pr.sub.2O.sub.3, and Er.sub.2O.sub.3 are also provided.

A photochromic glass that includes a base glass and a photochromic agent is described. The base glass is a modified boroaluminosilicate glass and the photochromic agent is a nanocrystalline cuprous halide phase. The photochromic glass exhibits a sharp cutoff in the UV or short wavelength visible portion of the spectrum along with an absorption band at longer wavelengths in the visible. The nanocrystalline cuprous halide phase includes Cu.sup.2+, which provides states within the bandgap of the cuprous halide that permit the glass to absorb visible light. Absorption of visible light drives a photochromic transition without compromising the sharp cutoff. The nanocrystalline cuprous halide phase may optionally include Ag.

A photochromic glass that includes a base glass and a photochromic agent is described. The base glass is a modified boroaluminosilicate glass and the photochromic agent is a nanocrystalline cuprous halide phase. The photochromic glass exhibits a sharp cutoff in the UV or short wavelength visible portion of the spectrum along with an absorption band at longer wavelengths in the visible. The nanocrystalline cuprous halide phase includes Cu.sup.2+, which provides states within the bandgap of the cuprous halide that permit the glass to absorb visible light. Absorption of visible light drives a photochromic transition without compromising the sharp cutoff. The nanocrystalline cuprous halide phase may optionally include Ag.