Effect of lithium-potassium mixed alkali on spectroscopic properties of Er3+-doped aluminophosphate glasses

Er3+-doped lithium-potassium mixed alkali aluminophosphate glasses belonging to the oxide system xK(2)O-(15x)Li2O-4B(2)O(3)-11Al(2)O(3)-5BaO-65P(2)O(5) are obtained in a semi-continuous melting quenching process. Spectroscopic properties of Er3+-doped glass matrix have been analysed by fitting the experimental data with the standard Judd-Ofelt theory. It is observed that Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters-Omega(t)(t=2, 4 and 6) of Er3+ change when the second alkali is introduced into glass matrix. The variation of line strength S-ed[I-4(13/2),I-4(15/2)] follows the same trend as that of the Omega(6) parameter. The effect of mixed alkali on the spectroscopic properties of the aluminophosphate glasses, such as absorption cross-section, stimulated emission cross-section, spontaneous emission probability, branching ratio and the radiative lifetime, has also been investigated in this paper.

Influences of radiation trapping on spectroscopic properties of Er3+-doped fluorophosphate glasses

Fluorophosphate glasses with different contents of ErF3 were prepared. Due to the radiation trapping of Er, concentration dependence of the fluorescence lifetime is subject to distortion, and the stimulated-emission cross section calculated by the Fuchtbauer-Ladenburg equation is underestimated. The influence of radiation trapping on the measured fluorescence lifetime and width are investigated quantitatively. By comparing the intensity ratio of the 1556-1532 nm peak in the fluorescence spectrum with that in the stimulated-emission cross-section spectrum obtained according to the McCumber theory, the distortion ratio of fluorescence spectrum due to radiation trapping is obtained. An empirical way to quantitatively evaluate the influences of radiation trapping on fluorescence lifetime and width is proposed. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.

Thermal stability and spectroscopic properties of Er3+-doped niobium tellurite glasses for broadband amplifiers

Three Er3+-doped tellurite glasses with compositions of 70TeO(2)-30ZnO, 70TeO(2)-20ZnO-10Nb(2)O(5) and 70TeO(2)-20ZnO-5BaO-5Nb(2)O(5) have been investigated for developing fiber and planar broadband amplifiers and lasers. The optical spectroscopic properties and thermal stability of Er3+-doped tellurite glasses have been discussed. The results show that the incorporation of Nb2O5 increases the thermal stability of Er3+-doped tellurite glasses significantly, Er3+-doped niobium tellurite glasses 70TeO(2)-20ZnO-10Nb(2)O(5) and 70TeO(2)-20ZnO-5BaO-5Nb(2)O(5) exhibit the good thermal stability (DeltaT > 150degreesC), the large emission cross-section (>10 x 10(-21) cm(2)) and broad full width at half maximum (similar to65 nm), will be preferable for broadband Er3+-doped fiber amplifiers. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Frequency up-conversion properties of Er3(+)-doped TeO2-ZnO-PbCl2 oxyhalide tellurite glasses

This paper reports on the successful preparation and a detailed study on the up-conversion properties of Er3+ -doped TeO2-ZnO-PbCl2 oxylialide tellurite glasses. Three intense emissions centered at around 527, 549 and 666 nm have been clearly observed under 977 nm excitation and the involved mechanisms have been explained. The green emissions centered at 527 and 549 nin are due to the H-2(11/2 ->) I-4(15/2) and S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2) transitions, and the red up-conversion emission centered at 666 nm is associated with the F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2) transitions of Er3+ ions, respectively. The quadratic dependence of fluorescence on excitation laser power confirm that two-photons contribute to up-conversion of the green-red emissions. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of lithium-sodium mixed-alkali on phase transformation kinetics in Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped aluminophosphate glasses

Er3+ doped aluminophosphate glasses with various Na2O/Li2O ratios were prepared at 1250 degrees C using a silica crucible to study mixed alkali effect (MAE). The effect of relative alkali content on glass transition temperature, crystallization temperature and thermal stability were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In addition, apparent activation energies for crystallization, E, were determined employing the Kissinger equation. The effect of Al2O3 content on the magnitude of MAE was also discussed. No mixed-alkali effect is observed on crystallization temperature. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

Infrared-to-visible upconversion emissions in Er3+ doped TeO2-based oxyhalide glasses

The fluorescence and up-conversion spectral properties of Er3+-doped TeO2-ZnO and TeO2-ZnO-PbCl2 glasses suitable for developing optical fiber amplifier and laser have been fabricate and characterized. Strong green (around 527-550 nm) and red (around 661 nm) up-conversion emissions under 977 nm laser diode excitation were investigated, corresponding to H-2(11/2), S-4(3/2), --> I-4(15/2) and F-4(9/2) --> I-4(15/2) transitions of Er3+ ions respectively, have been observed and the involved mechanisms have been explained. The dependence of up-converted fluorescence intensity versus laser power confirm that two-photons contribute to up-conversion of the green-red emissions. The novelty of this kind of optical material has been its ability in resisting devitrification, and its promising optical properties strongly encourage for their further development as the rare-earth doped optical fiber amplifiers and upconversion fiber laser systems.

Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters of Er3+ doped mixed alkali aluminophosphate glasses

Lithium sodium mixed alkali aluminophosphate glasses of the composition xNa(2)O-(15-x)Li2O-4B(2)O(3)-11Al(2)O(3)-5BaO-65P(2)O(5) (where x=0, 3.75, 7.5, 11.25 and 15 mol%) containing 0.5 mol% Er2O3 were prepared by melt quenching. The absorption spectra of Er3+ were studied from the experimental oscillator strengths and the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters were obtained. The variations of Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters (Omega(2), Omega(4) and Omega(6)), experimental oscillator strengths of certain excited states of Er3+ and hypersensitive band positions with different mixed alkali content have been discussed in detail. It was found that there were similar effects of mixed alkali on both Judd-Ofelt intensity parameter 02 and the experimental oscillator strength of the hypersensitive transition, I-4(15/2) -> H-2(11/2). No shifts in the peak wavelength of the studied transitions were found in different glasses. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of OH- on upconversion luminescence of Er3(+)-doped oxyhalide tellurite glasses

The Raman spectra, infrared spectra and upconversion luminescence spectra were studied, and the effect mechanism of OH- groups on the upconversion luminescence of Er3+-doped oxyhalide tellurite glasses was analyzed. The results show that the phonon energy of lead chloride tellurite (PCT) glass was lower than that of lead fluoride tellurite (PFT) glass, but upconversion luminescence intensity of Er3+-doped PFT glass was higher than that of Er3+-doped PCT glass. The analysis considers that it was attributed mainly to the effect of OH- groups. The lower the absorption coefficient of the OH- groups, the higher the fluorescence lifetime of Er3+, and as a result the higher upconversion luminescence intensity of Er3+. In this work, the effect of OH groups on the upconversion luminescence of Er3+ was bigger than that of the phonon energy. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Host dependent thermal stability and frequency upconversion of Er3+-doped heavy metal oxyfluoride germanate glasses

The upconversion properties of Er3+-doped heavy metal oxyfluoride germanate glasses under 975 nm excitation have been investigated. The intense green (551 and 529 nm) and relatively weak red (657 nm) emissions corresponding to the transitions S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2), H-2(11/2) -> I-4(15/2) and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were simultaneously observed at room temperature. The content of PbF2 has an important influence on the upconversion luminescence emission. With increasing content of PbF2, the intensities of green (529 nm) and red (657 nm) emissions increase slightly, while the green emission (551 nm) increases markedly. These results suggest that PbF2 has an influence on the green (551 nm) emission more than on the green (529 nm) and red (657 nm) emissions.

Investigation of the effect of fluoride ions introduction on structural, OH- content and up-conversion luminescence properties in Er3+-doped heavy metal oxide glasses

Effect of fluoride ions introduction on structural, OH- content and up-conversion luminescence properties in Er3+-doped heavy metal oxide glasses have been investigated. Structure was investigated, indicating that fluoride has an important influence on the phonon density, maximum phonon energy of host glasses. With increasing fluoride content, the up-conversion luminescence intensity and quantum efficiencies increase notably, which could not be explained only by the maximum phonon energy change of host glasses. Our results show that, with the introduction of PbF2, the decrease of phonon density and OH- content contributes more to the enhanced up-conversion emissions than that of maximum phonon energy. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Composition dependent frequency upconversion luminescence in Er3+-doped oxychloride germanate glasses

Er3+ -doped oxychloride germanate glasses have been synthesized by conventional melting and quenching method. Structural and thermal stability properties were obtained based on the Raman spectra and differential thermal analysis, indicating that PbCl2 plays an important role in the formation of glass network and has an important influence on the maximum phonon energy and thermal stability of host glasses. Intense green and red emissions centered at 525, 546, and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(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. With increasing PbCl2 content, the intensity of green (525 and 546 nm) emissions increases significantly, while the red (657 nm) emission increases slowly. The results indicate that PbCl2 has more influence on the green emissions than the red emission in oxychloride germanate glasses. The possible upconversion luminescence mechanisms has also been estimated and discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The spectroscopic properties of Er3(+)-doped TeO2-Nb2O5 glasses with high mechanical strength performance

(100 - x)TeO2 - xNb(2)O(5) (x=5-20) mobic tellurite glasses doped with 0.5 mol.% Er2O3 were synthesized, and their thermal, mechanical, and spectroscopic properties were measured and compared to the properties of the typical 75TeO(2)-20ZnO-5Na(2)O (TZN) tellurite glass. The refractive index (n(d)), density (p), and glass transition temperature (T-g) of bulk glasses increase with the Nb2O5 content. The Vickers microhardness (H-v) of bulk glass in niobic tellurite glasses also increases with the Nb2O5 content. The values (2.5-3.2 GPa) of H, in the niobic tellurite glasses are 47-88% larger than that (1.7 GPa) in TZN glass. The effect of Nb2O5 content on absorption spectra, the Judd-Ofelt parameters Omega(t) (t = 2, 4, 6), fluorescence spectra and the lifetimes of Er3+ :I-13/2 level were also investigated, and the stimulated emission crosssection was calculated from McCumber theory. With increasing Nb2O5 content in the glass composition, the Omega(t) (t = 2, 4, 6) parameters, fluorescence full width at half maximum (FWHM) Of I-13/2 of Er3+ increase, while the I-4(13/2) lifetimes of Er3+ decreases. Compared with TZN glass, the gain bandwidth properties of Er3+-doped TeO2-Nb2O5 glass is much larger than in tellurite glass based TeO2-ZnO-Na2O system, bismush-based glass, germanate, and silicate glasses, which indicates that TeO2-Nb2O5 glasses are better choice as a practical available host material for broadband Er3+-doped amplifier. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectroscopic properties of Er3+ doped TeO2-BaO (Li2O, Na2O)-La2O3 glasses for 1.5-mu m optical amplifiers

This paper reports on the optical spectroscopic properties and thermal stability of Er3+-doped TeO2-BaO (Li2O,NaO)-La2O3 glasses for developing 1.5-mu m fiber amplifiers. Upon excitation at 977 nm laser diode, an intense 1.53-mu m infrared fluorescence has been observed with a broad full width at half maximum (FWHM) of about 60 nm for the Er3+-doped TeO2-BaO (Li2O, Na2O)-La2O3 glass with 10 mol% of BaO. The calculated fluorescence lifetime and the emission cross-sections of the 1.53-mu m transition are 2.91 ms and similar to 9.97 x 10(-21) cm(2), respectively. It is noted that the gain bandwidth, a, x FWHM, of the TeO2-BaO-La2O3Er2O3 glass is about 600, which is significantly higher than that in silicate and phosphate glasses. Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that the TeO2-BaO-La2O3-Er2O3 glass has shown a high glass thermal stability and good infrared transmittance. As a result, TeO2-BaO (Li2O, Na2O)-La2O3 glass with 10 mol% of BaO has been considered to be more useful as a host for broadband optical fiber amplifier. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.