New developments in photonic technology need new materials for various applications. In the present report, Nd3+-doped NaF-Na2O-B2O3 glasses were prepared and the spectroscopic and glass transition properties were analysed. The Fourier transform infrared spectral studies reveal that the glass contains BO3 and BO4 units as the local structures and the Na+ ions as the network modifiers. The absorption studies were carried out by using Judd-Ofelt theory, the experimental and theoretical oscillator strengths were also calculated. The emission spectral study was done for the 1 mol% Nd-doped glass and the spontaneous emission probability and stimulated emission cross-sections for the F-4(3/2) --> I-4(9/2), I-4(11/2) transitions were calculated using the J-O parameters. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.