Investigation of optical and thermal properties in Er3+-doped Ga2O3-La2O3-Ta2O5 glasses fabricated by containerless solidification

•Er3+-doped gallate-based glasses are prepared by containerless solidification.•The prepared glasses exhibit superior thermal properties as well as excellent down-conversion luminescence properties.•Non-isothermal kinetic analyses are adopted to further assess the thermal stability of the selected glass.•We think the glasses might be the potential promising optical materials for fiber amplifier and laser.