Influence of WO3 on the spectroscopic properties and thermal stability of Er3+/Ce3+ codoped tellurite glasses

• Er3+/Ce3+ co-doped tellurite glasses containing WO3 was prepared by a melt-quenching method.
• 1.53 μm Fluorescence properties and thermal stability were investigated.
• Thermal stability of glass hosts increased with WO3 component.
• 1.53 μm Fluorescence intensity of Er3+ improved evidently with an enhanced phonon-assisted energy transfer.
• The prepared glasses possess a large amplification quality factor of Er3+ at 1.53 μm band.

The WO3 oxide was introduced into the Er3+/Ce3+ codoped tellurite glasses with the composition of TeO2ZnONa2O, and the absorption spectra, fluorescence emission spectra, fluorescence lifetimes, Raman spectra, XRD and DSC curves of glass samples were measured and investigated, respectively, to evaluate the effect of WO3 component on the 1.53 μm band spectroscopic properties of Er3+ and thermal stability of glass hosts. It is shown that the introduction of WO3 component can significantly improve the 1.53 μm band fluorescence intensity through an enhanced phonon-assisted energy transfer between Er3+ and Ce3+ ions and the total quantum efficiency corresponding to the 4I13/2→4I15/24I13/2→4I15/2 transition reveals a similar increasing trend. The introduction of WO3 component is also beneficial to obtain a large fluorescence FWHM, peak stimulated emission cross-section σep and amplification quality factors of σep×FWHM and σep×τm. Furthermore, the thermal stability of glass hosts increases with the content of WO3 component. The results indicate that the prepared Er3+/Ce3+ codoped tellurite glass containing WO3 oxide is a potential gain medium applied for 1.53 μm band broad and high-gain EDFA.