Sol-Gel Processing of Sm2+-Doped Glass and Its Spectral Hole Burning at Room Temperature

The sol-gel process was applied to the preparation of Sm²⁺ ion-doped silicate glasses, which show persistent spectral hole burning at room temperature. The gels synthesized by the hydrolysis of metal alkoxides and SmCl₃·6H₂O were heated in air at 500°C, were then reacted with H₂ gas to form the Sm²⁺ ion. The Al₂O₃−SiO₂2 glasses are appropriate to reduce the Sm³⁺ ion with H₂ gas and show intense photoluminescence of Sm²⁺ ion. Persistent spectra hole burning was observed in the excitation spectrum for the⁷F₀→⁵D₀ transition of the Sm²⁺ ion by the irradiation of DCM dye laser. The hole width and depth were ∼16 cm⁻¹ and ∼10% of the total intensity, respectively, at 20°C.