Photoluminescence of Pr3+, Sm3+ and Dy3+-doped SiO2–Al2O3–BaF2–GdF3 glasses

In this paper, we present the photoluminescence properties of Pr3+, Sm3+ and Dy3+-doped transparent oxyfluoride alumino-silicate glasses. These glasses have shown strong emission and absorption bands in visible and near-infrared (NIR) region. From the measured absorption spectra, Judd–Ofelt (J–O) intensity parameters (Ω2, Ω4 and Ω6) have been calculated for all the studied ions. For Pr3+-doped glass, emission bands centered at 532 nm (3P0 → 3H5), 615 nm (3P0 → 3H6) and 647 nm (3P0 → 3F2) have been observed with 486 nm (3H4 → 3P0) excitation wavelength. Of them, 647 nm (3P0 → 3F2) has shown bright red emission. Emission bands of 4G5/2 → 6H5/2 (563 nm), 4G5/2 → 6H7/2 (599 nm) 4G5/2 → 6H9/2 (645 nm) and 707 nm (4G5/2 → 6H11/2) for the Sm3+:glass, with excitation at 6H5/2 → 4F7/2 (403 nm) have been recorded. Of them, 4G5/2 → 6H7/2 (599 nm) has shown a bright orange emission. With regard to the Dy3+:glass, a bright fluorescent yellow emission at 575 nm (4F9/2 → 6H13/2) and blue emission at 484 nm (4F9/2 → 6H15/2) have been observed, apart from 4F9/2 → 6H11/2 (663 nm) emission transition with an excitation at 388 nm (6H15/2 → 4I13/2 + 4F7/2) wavelength. The stimulated emission cross-sections of all the emission bands of Pr3+, Sm3+ and Dy3+:glasses have been computed based on their measured full-width at half maximum (FWHM, Δλ) and measured lifetimes (τm).