Optical transitions of Er3+ and Yb3+ ions in novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass: Observation of up-conversion

Er3+/Yb3+-codoped novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass was prepared and its up-conversion fluorescence property under 975 nm excitation has been studied. Intense green and weak red emissions centered at 525, 546, and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions 2H(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were observed at room temperature. The possible up-conversion mechanism was also evaluated. The optimal Yb3+-Er3+ concentration ratio is found based on the direct lifetime measurements of excited levels for Er3+ ion. The structure of this novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass has been investigated by peak-deconvolution of FT-Raman spectrum, and the structural information was obtained from the peak wavenumbers. This novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass with relatively lower maximum phonon energy (similar to 731 cm(-1)) can be used as potential host material for up-conversion lasers. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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Ce3+ ions were introduced into the Er3+/Yb3+ -codoped TeO2-WO3-ZnO glasses, and the effect of Ce3+ on the emission properties at 1.5 mu m band and the upconversion luminescence of Er3+ in the glasses was investigated. With the increasing of Ce3+ concentration, the emission intensity of Er3+ at 1.5 mu m band increases firstly, and then decreases. The optimal doping concentration of Ce3+ is about 2.07 x 10(20)/cm(3). As for the Er3+ emission at 1.5-mu m band, the fluorescence lifetime decreases a little from 3.4ms to 3.0ms, while the full width at half maximum (FWHM) hardly changes with the increase of Cc 3+ concentration. Due to the effective cross relaxation between Ce3+ and Er3+ : Er3+ (I-4(11/2)) + Ce3+ (F-2(5/2)) -> Er3+ (I-4(13/2)) + Ce3+ (F-2(7/2)), the upconversion emission intensity of Er3+ is reduced greatly. But when Ce3+ -doping concentration is too high, the other cross relaxation between Ce3+ and Er3+ : Er3+ (4I(13/2)) + Ce3+ (F-2(5/2)) -> Er3+ (I-4(15/2)) + Ce3+ (F-2(7/2)) happens, which depopulates the I-4(13/2) level of Er3+ and results in the decrease of the emission intensity and fluorescence lifetime of Er3+ at 1.5 mu m band.

Effect of alkaline-earth metal composition on spectroscopic properties of Er3+ in fluorophosphate glasses

Optical spectroscopic properties of Er3+-doped alkaline-earth metal modified fluoropho sphate glasses have been investigated experimentally for developing broadband fiber and planar amplifiers. The results show a strong correlation between the alkaline-earth metal content and the spectroscopic parameters such as absorption and emission cross sections, full widths at half-maximum and Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters. It is found that strontium ions could have more influences on the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters and the absorption and emission cross sections than other alkaline-earth metal ions such as Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+. The sample containing 23 mol% strontium fluoride exhibits the maximum emission cross section of 7.58 x 10(-21) cm(2), the broadest full width at half-maximum of 65 nm and the longer lifetime of 8.6 ms among the alkaline-earth metal modified fluorophosphates glasses studied. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameter Omega(6)s, the emission cross sections and the full widths at half-maximum in the Er3+-doped fluorophosphate glasses studied are larger than in the silicate and phosphate glasses.

Effects of Yb3+ in Er3+/Yb3+ codoped fluorophosphate glasses

For the Er3+/Yb3+ codoped fluorophosphate glasses, Judd-Ofelt theory is used to analyse the influence of YbF3 as not a sensitizer but an average component on the spectroscopic properties around 1530 nm emission. The double roles of Yb3+, as a sensitizer and as an average component, are discussed. It is found that Yb3+ as an average component contributes to the increase of fluorescence lifetime, and Yb3+ as a sensitizer has the best sensitization when its concentration is 2.4 mol%.

Influence of heat treatment on spectroscopic properties of Er3+ in multicomponent ZrF4-ZnF2-AlF3-YF3-MF2 (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) based glass

Er3+ doped multicomponent fluoride based glass was prepared. These precursor fluoride glass samples were then heated using different schedules. Crystalline phase particles were successfully precipitated in the multicomponent fluoride glass samples after heat treatment. The influence of heat treatment on the spectroscopic properties of Er3+ in multicomponent fluoride based glass samples were discussed. Small changes of the Judd-Ofelt parameters Omega(i) (i = 2,4,6) were found in multicomponent fluoride glass samples before and after heat treatment compared to oxyfluoride telluride glass. Preparation conditions used to produce transparent multicomponent fluoride glass ceramics doped with rare-earth ions are discussed. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ridge optical waveguide in an Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped phosphate glass produced by He+ ion implantation combined with Ar+ ion beam etching

This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of a ridge optical waveguide in an Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped phosphate glass. The He+ ion implantation (at energy of 2.8 MeV) is first applied onto the sample to produce a planar waveguide substrate, and then Ar+ ion beam etching (at energy of 500 eV) is carried out to construct rib stripes on the sample surface that has been deposited by a specially designed photoresist mask. According to a reconstructed refractive index profile of the waveguide cross section, the modal distribution of the waveguide is simulated by applying a computer code based on the beam propagation method, which shows reasonable agreement with the experimentally observed waveguide mode by using the end-face coupling method. Simulation of the incident He ions at 2.8 MeV penetrating into the Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped phosphate glass substrate is also performed to provide helpful information on waveguide formation.

Upconversion properties of Er3+, Yb3+ and Tm3+ codoped fluorophosphate glasses

Er3+, Yb3+ and Tm3+ codoped fluorophosphate glasses emitting blue, green and red upconversion luminescence at 970 nm laser diode excitation were studied. It was shown that Tm3+ behaves as the sensitizer to Er3+ for the green upconversion luminescence through the energy transfer process: Tm 3+:H-3(4) + Er3+:I-4(15/2) -> Er3+:I-4(9/2) + Tm3+:H-3(6), and for the red upconversion luminescence through the energy transfer process: Tm3+:F-3(4) + Er3+:I-4(11/2) -> TM3+:H-3(6) + Er3+:4 F-9/2. Moreover, Er3+ acts as quenching center for the blue upconversion luminescence of TM3+. The sensitization of Tm3+ to Er3+ depends on the concentration of Yb3+. The intensity of blue, green and red emissions can be changed by adjusting the concentrations of the three kinds of rare earth ions. This research may provide useful information for the development of high color and spatial resolution devices and white light simulation. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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The upconversion emission of Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ codoped phosphate glass with 980 nm excitation was investigated. In the glass Er³⁺ concentration has a great influence on the intensity and the ratio of green and red light upconversion. The slope of the green luminenscence intensity as a function of pumping power ranges from 2.52 to 3.27, is the evidence of the three photon excitation process. The three photon process can also be concluded from excitation spectra when emission wavelength is 545 nm. The effect of Er³⁺ concentration is also discussed.

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2.0 &mu;m spectroscopic properties of Er³⁺/Tm³⁺/Ho³⁺ triply-doped fluorophosphate glasses pumped by 808 nm and the energy transfer mechanisms between the three rare earth ions were investigated. J-O theory was used to calculate the parameters of Ho³⁺ in fluorophosphate glasses. Absorption and emission cross-sections and the gain coefficients were calculated. The obtained lifetime r and spontaneous transition probability Ar of Ho³⁺:⁵I<inf>7</inf> level were 10.64 ms and 93.95 s^-1 respectively. The calculated maximum emission cross-section of 2.0 &mu;m was 9.26&times;10^-21 cm². The energy transfer analysis indicated that the cross-relaxation of Tm³⁺ was important and the resonent energy transfer in Er³⁺&rarrHo³⁺, Tm³⁺&rarrHo³⁺, Er³⁺&rarrTm³⁺&rarrHo³⁺ process was the main channel. The study revealed that the Er³⁺/Tm³⁺/Ho³⁺ triply-doped fluorophosphate glass would be a potential material for 2.0 &mu;m emission because of the efficient sensitization of Er³⁺ and Tm³⁺ to Ho³⁺.

Optical transitions and upconversion luminescence of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped halide modified tellurite glasses

Er3+-doped halide modified tellurite glasses were synthesized by conventional melting and quenching method. The Judd-Ofelt analysis was performed on the absorption spectra and the transition probabilities, excited state lifetimes, and the branching ratios were calculated and discussed. The intense infrared and visible fluorescence spectra under 980 nm excitation were obtained. Strong upconversion signal was observed at pumping power as low as 30 mW in the glasses with halide ions. The upconversion mechanisms and power dependent intensities were discussed, which showed two-photon process are involved for the green and red emissions. The decay times of the emitting states and the corresponding quantum efficiency were determined and explained. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Effect of PbCl2 addition on structure, OH- content, and upconversion luminescence in Yb3+/Er3+-codoped germanate glasses

Yb3+/ Er3+-codoped oxychloride germanate glasses have been synthesized by a conventional melting and quenching method. Structural properties were obtained based on Raman-spectra investigation, indicating that PbCl2 plays an important role in the formation of the glass network and has an important influence on the phonon density and the maximum phonon energy. The Judd - Ofelt intensity parameters and quantum efficiencies were calculated based on the Judd - Ofelt theory and lifetime measurements. The enhanced upconversion luminescence intensity of Er3+ with increasing PbCl2 content could not be explained only by the maximum phonon-energy change of the host glasses. For the first time, the effect of PbCl2 addition on phonon density, OH- content, and upconversion luminescence in oxychloride glasses has been discussed and evaluated. The results show that the effect of phonon density and OH- content on upconversion luminescence in oxychloride glasses is much stronger than that of the decrease of the maximum phonon energy. The possible upconversion luminescence mechanisms have also been estimated and are discussed.

Investigation on nonradiative decay of the (Er3+I13/2)-I-4 -> I-4(15/2) transition in different tellurite glass matrix

Three kinds of Er3+-doped tellurite glasses with different hydroxyl groups are prepared by the conventional melt-quenching method. Infrared spectra are measured to estimate the exact content of OH- groups in samples. The maximum phonon energy in glasses are obtained by measuring the Raman scattering spectra. The strength parameters Omega(t) (t = 2, 4, 6) for all the samples are calculated and compared. The nonradiative decay rate of the Er3+ I-4(13/2) -> I-4(15/2) transition are calculated for the glass samples with different phonon energy and OH- group contents. Finally, the effect of OH- groups on fluorescence decay rate of Er3+ is analysed, the constant KOH-Er Of TWN, TZPL and TZL glasses are calculated to be 9.2 x 10(-19) cm(4)s(-1), 5.9 x 10(-19) cm(4)s(-1), and 3.5 x 10(-19) cm(4)s(-1), respectively.

Frequency upconversion fluorescence emission of Er3+-doped oxychloride germanate glass

Frequency upconversion fluorescence property of Er3+-doped oxychloride germanate glass is investigated. Intense green and red emissions centred at 525, 546, and 657nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> 4I(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were simultaneously observed at room temperature. The quadratic dependence of the 525, 546, and 657nm emissions on excitation power indicates that a two-photon absorption process occurs under 975nm laser diode (LD) excitation. The Raman spectrum investigation indicates that oxychloride germanate glass has the maximum phonon energy at similar to 805 cm(-1). The thermal stability of this oxychloride germanate glass is evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal stability factor Delta T (Delta T = T-x-T-g) is 187 degrees C. Intense upconversion luminescence and good thermal stability indicate that Er3+-doped oxychloride germanate glass is a promising upconversion laser material.

Structural and upconversion fluorescence properties of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped lead-free germanium-bismuth glass

We study the structural and infrared-to-visible upconversion fluorescence properties of Er3(+)/Yb3+-codoped lead-free germanium-bismuth glass. The structure of lead-free germanium-bismuth-lanthanum glass is investigated by peak-deconvolution of Raman spectroscopy. Intense green and red emissions centred at 525, 546, and 657nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(11/2) -> (IT15/2)-I-4 -> S-4(3/2) -> 4I(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, are observed at room temperature. The quadratic dependence of the 525, 546, and 657nm emissions on excitation power indicates that a two-photon absorption process occurs under 975nm excitation.

CW-pumped evanescent amplification based on side-polished fiber with heavily Er3+-doped glass overlay

A novel diffractive-pumping scheme is proposed to improve the evanescent amplification using blazed fiber grating for the first time. We also investigate the cw-pumped-evanescent amplification at 1.55 mu m wavelength with the relative optical gain pumped at 1480 nm of around 2 dB based on side-polished fiber with the effective interaction length as long as 16 mm and with a heavily Er3+-doped (N-Er(3+) > 1.19 x 10(21) ions/cm(3)), low refractive index (n(1550) < 1.47) glass overlay, which has no concentration quenching (tau(f) = 9.0 ms).