The enhanced two micron emission in thulium doped tellurite glasses

•The OH concentration reduction in the novel Tm3+ doped host material established fast-diffusion regime.•The lifetime value of 3F4→3H63F4→3H6 transition significantly increased in the case of highly thulium doped samples.•Adequate viscosity of fluorotellurite glasses for fiber drawing was obtained.

In this work, we demonstrated enhanced infrared thulium emission regarding lifetime values in the novel fluorotellurite glasses in comparison with the traditional TeO2–ZnO–Na2O host. The OH concentration reduction in the novel host material established fast-diffusion regime for the 3F4→3H63F4→3H6 emission while the same emission in ‘TZN’ host was in the frame of the diffusion-limited regime. The spectroscopic and thermo-mechanical properties of tellurite glasses showed promising features and possibility for fiber drawing.