Rezumat
The microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties of phosphate glasses (PhGs) doped by rare-earth ele- ments (REEs): Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, were considered in the present paper. The PhGs strength parameters and their dependence on the load value modification were estimated by the dynamic indentation method. Three specific stages were revealed in the deformation process: nanodeformation; submicrodeformation; microdeformation. The factors responsible for each stage were detected. It was shown that strength properties (Young module, hardness) and thermal characteristics (lower and upper annealing temperature, softening temperature, vitrification temperature) do not exhibit an evident interconnection with the atomic mass and ionic radius of REE. An assumption was made that elastic and plastic properties of PhGs can be determined by the glass internal structure.