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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.

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%.

Er3+ and Yb3+ codoped phosphate laser glass for high power flashlamp pumping

A novel Vb(3+)-Er-(3+) codoped phosphate glass for high power flashlamp pumping and high repetition rate laser at 1.54 mu m, designated EAT5-2, is developed. The weight-loss rate of is 1.3 x 10(-5) gcm(-2) h(-1) in boiling water, which is comparable to Kigre's QX-Er glass. Some spectroscopic parameters are analysed by Judd-Ofelt theory and McCumber theory The emission cross section is calculated to be 0.73 x 10(-20) cm(2). The thermo-mechanical properties of EAT5-2 are modified after an ion-exchange chemical strengthening process in a KNO3/NaNO3 molten salt bath. The thresholds for optical damage from the flashlamp pumping are tested on glass rods. A repetition rate of 15 Hz is achieved for chemically strengthened glass. The laser experimental results at. 1.54 mu m from flashlamp pumping are also reported.

Intense greeen upconversion luminescence in Er3+: Yb3+ codoped fluorophosphate glass ceramic containing SrTe5O11 nanocrystals

Er3+:Yb3+ codoped tellurite-fluorophosphate (TFP) glass ceramic exhibits much stronger upconversion luminescence. The intensity of the 540 nm green light and 651 nm red light of the TFP glass ceramic is 120 times and 44 times stronger than that of the fluorophospahte (FP) glass, respectively. XRD analysis shows that the nanocrystal in TFP glass ceramic is SrTe5O11. TFP glass ceramic also displays much higher upconversion fluorescence lifetime and crystallization stability. The narrow and strong peak at 540 nm is very ideal for practical upconversion luminescence realization. This work is a new trial for exploring non-PbF2 involved nanocrystal upconversion glass ceramics.

Spectroscopic properties of Er3+/Yb3+ codoped fluorophosphate glasses

Er3+/Yb3+ cocloped fluorophosphate glasses were prepared and their thermal stabilities, Raman spectra, absorption spectra, and fluorescence spectra were measured. It is found that proper content of NaF or PbF2 is helpful for the increase of stability against crystallization. The variation of AI(PO3)3 or NaF content in the composition affects not the maximum phonon energy but the phonon density. The introduction of PbF2 decreases the phonon energy slightly. Intense green and red upconversion luminescence was observed for the fluorophosphate glass with low phosphate content. A glass matrix for upconversion luminescence requiring neither expensive raw material nor special atmospheric conditioned preparation is provided. Infrared luminescence around 1530 nm was researched. Fluorophosphate glasses with bandwidth properties and stimulated-emission cross sections better than tellurite, germanate and silicate glasses are obtained. Through the introduction of NaF, the bandwidth properties are decreased. Through the introduction of PbF2 the gain properties are increased. On the whole, it is difficult to obtain a material with the best gain properties and bandwidth properties simultaneously. There should be a compromise between them according to the demand. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Upconversion emissions in Yb3+-Tm3+-doped tellurite glasses excited at 976 nm

Intense Tm3+ blue upconversion emission has been observed in Tm3+-Yb3+ codoped oxyfluoride tellurite glass under excitation with a diode laser at 976 nm. Three emission bands centered at 475, 650 and 796 nm corresponding to the transitions (1)G(4) -> H-3(6), (1)G(4) -> H-3(4) and F-3(4) -> H-3(6), respectively, simultaneously occur. The dependence of upconversion intensities on Tm3+ ions concentration and excitation power are investigated. For fixed Yb2O3 concentrations of 5.0 mol%, the maximum upconversion intensity was obtained with Tm2O3 concentration of about 0.1 mol%. The blue upconversion luminescence lifetimes of the Tm3+ transitions (1)G(4) -> H-3(6) are measured. The results are evaluated by the possible upconversion mechanisms.

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.

Mechanisms of Yb3+ sensitization to Tm3+ for blue upconversion luminescence in fluorophosphate glass

The sensitization mechanisms of Yb3+ to Tm3+ for the blue upconversion luminescence in fluorophosphate glass were studied. Two different mechanisms exist in the sensitization. One is the sequential sensitization that Tm3+ is excited from H-3(6) to (1)G(4) through absorbing three photons transferred from Yb3+ one by one. Another is the cooperative sensitization that two Yb3+ ions form a couple cluster firstly, and then the couple cluster Yb3+ ions transfer their energy to Tm3+ and excite it to (1)G(4). With the increment of the concentration of Yb3+ ions, the sequential sensitization becomes weak and the cooperative sensitization becomes intense, and the transformation trend of sensitization mechanism with the increment of Yb3+ concentration can be clarified by the introduction of Th3+ ions in the glass. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multicolor upconversion of Er3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ doped oxyfluoride glass ceramics

Er3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ tricloped oxyfluoride glass ceramics was synthesized in a general way. Under 980 nm LD pumping, intense red, green and blue upconversion was obtained. And with those primary colors, multicolor luminescence was observed in oxyfluoride glass ceramics with various dopant concentrations. The red and green upconversion is consistent with F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2) and H-2(11/2), S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2) transition of Er3+ respectively. While the blue upconversion originates from (1)G(4) -> H-3(6) transition of Tm3+. This is similar to that in Er3+/Yb3+ and/or Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped glass ceramics. However the upconversion of Tm3+ is enhanced by the energy transfer between Er3+ and Tm3+. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cooperative downconversion in GdAl3(BO3)(4): RE3+,Yb3+ (RE=Pr, Tb, and Tm)

An efficient near-infrared (NIR) quantum cutting (QC) in GdAl3(BO3)(4):RE3+,Yb3+ (RE=Pr, Tb, and Tm) phosphors has been demonstrated, which involves the conversion of the visible photon into the NIR emission with an optimal quantum efficiency approaching 200%, by exploring the cooperative downconversion mechanism from RE3+ (RE=Pr, Tb, and Tm) excitons to the two activator ions, Yb3+. The development of NIR QC phosphors could open up a new approach in achieving high efficiency silicon-based solar cells by means of downconversion in the visible part of the solar spectrum to similar to 1000 nm photons with a twofold increase in the photon number. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

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.

Effect of bismuth oxide on the thermal stability and Judd-Ofelt parameters of Er 3(+)/Yb3(+) co-doped aluminophosphate glasses

The Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped glasses with compositions of xBi(2)O(3)-(65-x)P2O5-4Yb(2)O(3)-11Al(2)O(3)-5BaO-15Na(2)O (where x = 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mol%) were prepared using the normal melt quench technique. The optical absorption spectra of the glasses were recorded in the wavelength range 300-1700 nm. The effect of Bi2O3 content on the thermal stability and absorption spectra of glasses was investigated. In addition, the Judd-Ofelt parameters and oscillator strengths were calculated by employing Judd-Ofelt theory. It was observed that the positions of the fundamental absorption edge and cut-off wavelength shifted towards red as the content of Bi2O3 increased. However, there were no red shifts found both in the peak wavelength and in the center of mass wavelength of all absorption bands with Bi2O3 content increasing. The results of Judd-Ofelt theory analysis showed that Judd-Ofelt parameters Omega(t), (t = 2, 4, 6) changed sharply when Bi2O3 concentration exceeded 5 mol%. The variation trends of experimental oscillator strength were similar with those of Judd-Ofelt parameters as function of Bi2O3 concentrations. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry experiments showed that the increases of Bi2O3 content weakened the network structure and then lowered the thermal stability of the glasses. The spontaneous emission probability A(rad), branching ratio beta and the radiative lifetime tau(rad) were also calculated and analyzed. The stimulated emission cross-section of Er3+ was calculated according to the McCumber theory. It was found that the stimulated emission cross-section of Er3+ was monotonically increases with Bi2O3 content increasing. (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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To study the effects of upconversion in Erbium, a set of rate equations that simulates the performance of the passively Q-switched Er:Yb:glass laser with a Co²⁺:MgAl<inf>2</inf>O<inf>4</inf> saturable absorber was set up. The dynamics of the Er³⁺ excited state and the effect of upconversion on the passively Q-switched laser are obtained through numerical simulation of the model. It is found that the impact ratios of upconversion effect on the peak power of the passively Q-switched laser pluse and the repetition rate are both decreased with the increase of pump power.

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.