Intense infrared luminescence in transparent glass-ceramics containing beta-Ga2O3 : Ni2+ nanocrystals

Transparent glass-ceramics containing beta-Ga2O3:Ni2+ nanocrystals were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. Intense broad-band luminescence centering at 1200 nm was observed when the sample was excited by a diode laser at 980 nm. The room-temperature fluorescent lifetime was 665 mu s, which is longer than the Ni2+-doped ZnAl2O4 and LiGa5O8 glass-ceramics and is also comparable to the Ni2+-doped LiGa5O8 single crystal. The intense infrared luminescence with long fluorescent lifetime may be ascribed to the high crystal field hold by Ni2+ and the moderate lattice phonon energy of beta-Ga2O3. The excellent optical properties of this novel material indicate that it might be a promising candidate for broad-band amplifiers and room-temperature tunable lasers.

Effect of F- ions on emission cross-section and fluorescence lifetime of Yb3+-doped tellurite glasses

The effects of F- ions in Yb3+-doped tellurite glass systems on the emission cross-section and measured fluorescence lifetime are investigated. The results show that both the emission cross-section and the fluorescence lifetime of Yb3+ ions increase from 1.32 to 1.39 pm(2) and from 0.93 to 1.12 ms respectively with the increase of F- ions from 0 to 10 mol% and that such oxyfluoride tellurite glass system is a promising laser host matrix for high power generation. FT-IR spectra were used to analyze the effect of F- ions on the structure of tellurite glasses and the change of OH- groups in this glass system. Analysis demonstrates that the addition of fluoride decreases the symmetry of the structure of tellurite glasses resulting in increasing of the emission cross-section and removes the OH- groups resulting in increasing of the measured fluorescence lifetime of Yb3+ ions. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fluorescence lifetime increasing with F- ions into ytterbium-doped germanium-lead-tellurite glasses

The effects of F- ions in a germanium-lead-tellurite glass system oil the spectral and potential laser properties of the Yb3+ are investigated. The absorption spectra, lifetimes, the emission cross-sections and the minimum pump intensities of the glass system with and without F- ions have been measured and calculated. The results show that the fluorescence lifetime and the minimum pump intensity of Yb3+ ions increase evidently, which indicates that germanium lead-oxyfluoride tellurite glass is a promising laser host matrix for high power generation. FT-IR spectra were used to analyse the effect of F- ions on OH- groups in this glass system. Analysis demonstrates that addition of fluoride removes the OH- groups and results in improvement of fluorescence lifetime of Yb3+.

Fluorescence lifetime increase by introduction of F- ions in ytterbium-doped TeO2-based glasses

this paper was retracted

Transparent Ni2+-doped silicate glass ceramics for broadband near-infrared emission

Transparent Ni2+-doped MgO-Al2O3-Ga2O3-SiO2-TiO2 glass ceramics were fabricated. The precipitated nanocrystal phase in the glass ceramics was identified by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope. Broadband near-infrared emission centered at 1220 nm with full width at half maximum of about 240 nm and lifetime of about 250 mu s was observed with 980 nm excitation. The longer wavelength emission compared with Ni2+-doped MgAl2O4 crystal was attributed to the low crystal field occupied by Ni2+ in the glass ceramics. The present Ni2+-doped transparent glass ceramics may have potential applications in broadband optical amplifiers. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sites structure and spectroscopic properties of Yb-doped and Yb, Na-codoped CaF2 laser crystals

For the first time, the effect of Na+ on crystal structure, valence state of Yb ions, spectroscopic properties of YbF3-doped CaF2 system was systematically studied. Na+ can greatly suppress the deoxidization of Yb3+ to Yb2+. Absorption and emission spectra showed codoping Na+ with different Na:Yb ratios can modulate the spectroscopy and photoluminescence properties of Yb3+ ions in CaF2 lattice in a large scope. The emission lifetime and quantum efficiency of Yb3+ in CaF2 were greatly enhanced by the codopant of Na+. The potential laser performances of the new Yb, Na-codoped CaF2 crystals were predicted. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Precipitation of Ge nanoparticles from GeO2 glasses in transmission electron microscope

We show, using spatially resolved energy loss spectroscopy in a transmission electron microscopy (TEM), that GeO2 and GeO2-SiO2 glasses are extremely sensitive to high energy electrons. Ge nanoparticles can be precipitated in GeO2 glasses efficiently by the high-energy electron beam of a TEM. This is relevant to TEM characterization of luminescent Ge nanoparticles in silicate glasses, which may produce artificial results. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Laser-induced damage threshold of ZrO2 thin films prepared at different oxygen partial pressures by electron-beam evaporation

ZrO2, films were deposited by electron-beam evaporation with the oxygen partial pressure varying from 3 X 10(-3) Pa to I I X 10(-3) Pa. The phase structure of the samples was characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD). The thermal absorption of the films was measured by the surface thermal lensing technique. A spectrophotometer was employed to measure the refractive indices of the samples. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) was assessed using a 1064, nm Nd: yttritium-aluminium-garnet pulsed laser at pulse width of 12 ns. The influence of oxygen partial pressure on the microstructure and LIDT of ZrO2 films was investigated. XRD data revealed that the films changed from polycrystalline to amorphous as the oxygen partial pressure increased. The variation of refractive index at 550 nm wavelength indicated that the packing density of the films decreased gradually with increasing oxygen partial pressure. The absorptance of the samples decreased monotonically from 125.2 to 84.5 ppm with increasing oxygen partial pressure. The damage threshold, values increased from 18.5 to 26.7 J/cm(2) for oxygen partial pressures varying from 3 X 10(-3) Pa to 9 X 10(-3) Pa, but decreased to 17.3 J/cm(2) in the case of I I X 10(-3) Pa. (C) 2005 American Vacuum Society.

Laser-induced damage threshold of ZrO2 thin films prepared at different oxygen partial pressures by electron-beam evaporation

ZrO2, films were deposited by electron-beam evaporation with the oxygen partial pressure varying from 3 X 10(-3) Pa to I I X 10(-3) Pa. The phase structure of the samples was characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD). The thermal absorption of the films was measured by the surface thermal lensing technique. A spectrophotometer was employed to measure the refractive indices of the samples. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) was assessed using a 1064, nm Nd: yttritium-aluminium-garnet pulsed laser at pulse width of 12 ns. The influence of oxygen partial pressure on the microstructure and LIDT of ZrO2 films was investigated. XRD data revealed that the films changed from polycrystalline to amorphous as the oxygen partial pressure increased. The variation of refractive index at 550 nm wavelength indicated that the packing density of the films decreased gradually with increasing oxygen partial pressure. The absorptance of the samples decreased monotonically from 125.2 to 84.5 ppm with increasing oxygen partial pressure. The damage threshold, values increased from 18.5 to 26.7 J/cm(2) for oxygen partial pressures varying from 3 X 10(-3) Pa to 9 X 10(-3) Pa, but decreased to 17.3 J/cm(2) in the case of I I X 10(-3) Pa. (C) 2005 American Vacuum Society.