Erbium doped heavy metal oxide glasses for mid-infrared laser materials

Mid-infrared 2.7 μm emission properties in Er3 +-doped bismuthate and tellurite glasses were comparatively investigated. Emission characteristic and energy transfer upon excitation of a conventional 980 nm laser diode in bismuthate and tellurite glasses were analyzed. It is found that bismuthate glass possesses larger spontaneous transition probability A (65.26 s− 1) and 2.7 μm emission cross section σem (9.53 × 10− 21 cm2) corresponding to the Er3 +: 4I11/2 → 4I13/2 transition. Based on the analysis of Raman, IR spectra and XPS spectra in bismuthate and tellurite glasses, it is found that different phonon energies and local configurations of Er3 + ions are the main causes of different emission properties in Er3 +-doped bismuthate and tellurite glasses. Our results suggest that the Er3 + doped bismuthate glass might be potential to the application in mid-infrared 2.7 μm laser materials.

► Different transmittances induced by OH group at 2.7 μm region
► Different average crystal field strengths at Er3 + positions
► Different phonon energies in tellurite and bismuthate glass system