Influence of B2O3 to the inhomogeneous broadening and spectroscopic properties of Er3+/Yb3+ codoped fluorophosphate glasses

In a three-components fluorophosphate glass system, the introduction of H3BO3 brings some valuable influence to the spectroscopic and thermal properties of the glasses. With H3BO3 increases from 2 to 20 mol%, Ω6, Sed4I13/2, FWHM, Tg and fluorescence lifetime change from 3.21×10−20 cm2, 1.77×10−20 cm2, 45 nm, 480 °C and 8.8 ms to 4.66×10−20 cm2, 2.11×10−20 cm2, 50 nm, 541 °C and 7.4 ms, respectively. σabs, σemi, FWHM×τf×σemi has a maximum when H3BO3 is 11 mol%. Tg and Tx−Tg increases with H3BO3 introduction. Results showed that in fluorophosphate glasses, proper amount of B2O3 can be used as a modifier to suppress upconversion and improve spectroscopic properties, broadband property and crystallization stability of the glasses while keeps the fluorescence lifetime relatively high.