Effect of OH− content on emission properties in Er3+-doped tellurite glasses

A series of tellurite glasses of composition, 75TeO2–20ZnO–(5 − x)La2O3–xEr2O3 (x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mol%) with different hydroxl content were prepared. The effect of Er3+ and OH− groups concentration on the emission properties of Er3+: 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition in tellurite glasses was investigated. The constant KOH–Er for Er3+ in tellurite glasses, which represents the strength of interaction between Er3+ and OH− groups in the case of energy migration, was about 14 × 10−19 cm4 s−1. The interaction parameter CEr,Er for the migration rate of Er3+: 4I13/2 → 4I13/2 transition in tellurite glass was 46 × 10−40 cm2, which indicates that concentration quenching in Er3+-doped modified tellurite glass for a given Er3+ concentration is much stronger than in silicate and phosphate glasses.