Effect of Ag nanoparticles on the radiative properties of tellurite glasses doped with Er3+, Yb3+ and Tm3+ ions

• The effect of Ag nanoparticles on the energy transfer from Yb to Er and Tm is evidenced.
• The enhancement of Tm3+ emission by the presence of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) is shown.
• The effect of Ag NPs on the lifetime of Er3+ and Tm3+ infrared emissions is verified.
• The presence NPs is found to increase the thermal diffusivity of the glasses.

The present work is devoted to the characterization of the thermal and spectroscopic properties of tellurite glasses, codoped with Er3+, Yb3+ and Tm3+ rare-earth ions and silver nanoparticles (NPs). The techniques used for this investigation were UV–visible and infrared absorption, time-resolved luminescence and thermal lens. Time-resolved luminescence studies indicate efficient Yb3+ → Er3+ and Yb3+ → Tm3+ energy transfers and intense Er3+ and Tm3+ mid-infrared emissions around 1550 nm and 1860 nm, respectively. The presence NPs is found to increase the thermal diffusivity of the materials and to shorten the mid-infrared emission lifetime of both the Er3+ and Tm3+ ions.

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