Spectroscopic properties of Tm3+-Ho3+ codoped SiO2-Al2O3-CaO-SrO glasses

Abstract

Tm3+-Ho3+ codoped 50SiO(2)-10Al(2)O(3)-25CaO-15SrO glasses with good thermal stability are prepared by a melt-quenching method. Efficient emission of Ho3+:I-5(7) is observed upon excitation with an 800 nm laser. The sample doped with 1 mol% Tm2O3 and 0.1 mol% Ho2O3 presents a broadband spectrum with a full width at half-maximum of 345 nm. The sample doped with 1 mol% Tm2O3 and 0.7 mol% Ho2O3 has the maximum emission intensity of Ho:I-5(7) to I-5(8). With increased Ho2O3 content, the fluorescence intensity ratio of emission from Ho:I-5(7) to that from Tm:F-3(4) linearly increases. The emission cross-section and energy-transfer efficiency are also calculated. The maximum emission cross-section of the transition from Ho:5I7 to 518 is 3.72 x 10(-21) cm(2) at 2065 nm. When the sample is doped with 1 mol% Tm2O3 and 1 mol% Ho2O3, the transfer efficiency from Tm3+ to Ho3+ is 0.954. The emission cross-section, energy-transfer constants, and fluorescence efficiency in 50SiO(2)-10Al(2)O(3)-25CaO-15SrO glass are larger than those in silicate glasses without alkali ions, indicating that 50SiO(2)-10Al(2)O(3)-25CaO-15SrO glass is a favorable glass host for 2 mu m lasers. 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved