Optical characterization, 1.5 [micro]m emission and IR-to-visible energy upconversion in Er[super]3+-doped fluorotellurite glasses

• Published in: Journal of luminescence 2011-06, Vol.131 (6), p.1239-1248
• Main Authors: Rodriguez-Mendoza, U R, Lalla, E A, Caceres, J M, Rivera-Lopez, F, Leon-Luis, S F, Lavin, V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amplifiers; Cross sections; Decay; Doping; Glass; Rare earth metals; Stimulated emission; Upconversion
• ISSN: 0022-2313
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jlumin.2011.02.020

The optical properties of Er[super]3+ ions in a novel glass based on TeO sub(2-PbF) sub(2)-AlF sub(3 oxyfluoride tellurites have been investigated using steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopies as a function of the rare-earth doping concentration. Basic optical characterizations have been performed measuring and calculating the absorption and emission spectra and the cross-sections, the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters, the radiative probabilities and the fluorescence decays and lifetimes. Special attention has been devoted to the broad [super]4I) sub(1)3/2-->[super]4I sub(15/2 emission transition at around 1.53 [micro]m since, with a wide broadening of around 70 nm and a relative long lifetime of around 3 ms compared to others glass hosts, it shows potential applications in the design of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers. The absorption, the stimulated emission and the gain cross-sections of this transition have been obtained and compared with that obtained in different hosts. Finally, infrared-to-visible upconversion processes exciting at around 800 nm have been analyzed and different mechanisms involved in the energy conversion have been proposed.)