Investigation of 1.3 μm emission in Nd-doped bismuth-based oxide glasses

Nd₂O₃-doped 43Bi₂O₃–xB₂O₃–(57?x)SiO₂–1.0Nd₂O₃ (x=57, 47, 39, 28.5, 19.5, 10, 0 mol%) bismuth glasses were prepared by the conventional melt-quenching method, and the Nd³⁺: ⁴F_3/2→⁴I_13/2 fluorescence properties had been studied in an oxide system Bi₂O₃–B₂O₃–SiO₂. The Judd–Ofelt analysis for Nd³⁺ ions in bismuth boron silicate glasses was also performed on the basis of absorption spectrum, and the transition probabilities, excited-state lifetimes, the fluorescence branching ratios, quantum efficiency and the stimulated emission cross-sections of ⁴F_3/2→⁴I_13/2 transition were calculated and discussed. The stimulated emission cross-sections of 1.3 μm were quite large due to a large refractive index of the host. Although the effective bandwidths decreased with increasing SiO₂ content, quantum efficiencies and stimulated emission cross-sections enhanced largely with increasing SiO₂ content.