Up-conversion enhancement in Er3 +-Ag co-doped zinc tellurite glass: Effect of heat treatment

The melt quenching method was used to synthesize the Ag⁰ nanoparticles and Er^3 + ions co-doped zinc tellurite glass. The glasses were characterized by differential thermal analyzer, UV–VIS-IR absorption, photoluminescence spectroscopy and TEM imaging. Heat treatment at different annealing time intervals above the glass transition temperature was applied to reduce the Ag⁺ ions to Ag⁰ NPs. The influence of heat treatment on structural and optical properties is examined. Intense and broad up-conversion emissions of silver are recorded in the visible region. Up-conversion luminescence spectra revealed three major emission peaks at 520, 550 and 650 nm originating from ²H_11/2, ⁴S_3/2 and ⁴F_9/2 levels, respectively. An efficient enhancement in visible region is observed for samples containing silver NPs. The absorption plasmon peaks are evidenced around 560 and 594 nm. The effect of localized surface plasmon resonance and the energy transfer from the surface of silver NP to trivalent erbium ions are described as the sources of enhancement.     

Optical properties of Er3+-singly doped and Er3+/Yb3+-codoped novel oxyfluoride glasses

Novel oxyfluoride glasses SiO₂–Al₂O₃–Na₂O–ZnF₂ doped with Er³⁺ and Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ were fabricated. The optical properties of the synthesized glasses were experimentally and theoretically investigated in detail. The experimental and calculated oscillator strengths of Er³⁺ were determined by measurement of the absorption spectrum of Er³⁺-singly doped glass. According to the Judd–Ofelt theory, the experimental intensity parameters were calculated, from which the radiative transition probabilities, fluorescence branching ratios and radiative lifetimes were obtained. The fluorescence lifetime and quantum efficiency for the near-infrared emission of Er³⁺-singly doped glass were determined to be 3.0 ms, and 42%, respectively. Visible upconversion luminescence was observed under 980 nm diode laser excitation. The dependence of the upconversion emission intensity upon the excitation power was examined, and the upconversion mechanisms are discussed.     

Energy transfer between Tm3+ and Er3+ in borate and phosphate glasses

A study of the energy transfer process between thulium and erbium is presented. From our measurements of fluorescence emissions and decay times the energy transfer efficiencies and probabilities were calculated. In this work the energy transfer which occurs between the upper levels in the UV and VIS regions of the two ions was especially studied. In the Tm-Er system, a mutual migration of energy occurs. The energy transfer from thulium to erbium is a multichannel process in which the energy is transferred from all the metastable levels of thulium to the matching energy levels of erbium. In addition, backtransfer of energy from erbium to thulium occurs by crossrelaxation of respective erbium transitions. The efficiency of energy transfer from thulium to erbium is independent of the levels between which the transfer occurs, but is dependent on the matrix. It is concluded that the energy is transferred via the phonons of the host glass.     

Investigation of the crystallization process in oxyfluoride glass ceramics codoped with Er/Yb

The oxyfluoride glass ceramics are important up-conversion luminescent materials. Er³⁺/Yb³⁺-codoped transparent oxyfluoride glasses were prepared by melt-quenching and subsequently heat-treated at different times and temperatures, and the crystallization process of fluoride nanocrystals from the glass was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and fluorescence spectra investigations reveal that fluoride nanocrystals are distributed homogeneously among the glassy matrix for the sample doped with Er³⁺/Yb³⁺. The crystallization process indicates that heat-treatment temperature influences the size of fluoride nanocrystals, while heat-treatment time influences their concentration. Moreover, the red emission intensities increase due to the incorporation of Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ into the fluoride nanocrystals under different heat-treatment methods, which are studied by fluorescence spectra.     

Spectroscopic and lasing properties of Er3+-doped glass microspheres

We report experimental results on the characterization of microspherical cavities fabricated in Er³⁺-doped modified-silica and phosphate glasses. The spectroscopic properties of the bulk precursor glasses as compared to the obtained microspheres were investigated by photoluminescence spectroscopy and lifetime measurement for the ⁴I_13/2 → ⁴I_15/2 transition of Er³⁺ ions. In both types of glasses we demonstrate whispering gallery mode laser action at various wavelengths around 1550 nm by using a 1480 nm pump laser coupled through a tapered fiber.     

UV assisted local crystallization in Er3+ doped oxy-fluoride glass

We report on fabrication of Er³⁺-activated LaF₃ nanocrystals in transparent glasses using an original technique, which combines both heat treatment, below glass crystallization temperature, and ultraviolet laser irradiation at 244 nm. The main advantage of this method is to control the spatial localization of the nanoparticles in the glass sample, whereas annealing solely at the crystallization temperature leads to a fully crystallized glass sample. Thermal differential analysis was used to determine the crystallization temperature of the sample. The photoluminescence spectra behaviour of Er³⁺ ions, collected from the UV-irradiated and unirradiated regions, allowed us to follow and to distinguish the structural changes in the glass network under heat treatment and ultraviolet exposure.     

Design of Er3+-doped chalcogenide glass laser for MID-IR application

The feasibility of a photonic crystal fiber laser (PCF laser), made of a novel Er³⁺-doped chalcogenide glass and operating at the wavelength λ_s = 4.5 μm is investigated. The design is performed on the basis of spectroscopic and optical parameters measured on a fabricated Er³⁺-doped Ga₅Ge₂₀Sb₁₀S₆₅ chalcogenide bulk sample. The simulations have been performed by employing a home made numerical code that solves the multilevel rate equations and the power propagation equations via a Runge-Kutta iterative method. The numerical results indicate that a laser exhibiting slope efficiency close to the maximum theoretical one and a wide tunability in the wavelengths range where the atmosphere is transparent can be obtained.     

Temperature dependence of Nd3+ → Yb3+ energy transfer processes in co-doped oxyfluoride glass ceramics

A study of the Nd³⁺ → Yb³ energy transfer processes in transparent oxyfluoride glass ceramics has been carried out as a function of temperature in the 100–700 K range. This host is a two-phase optical material that consists of a low-phonon energy fluoride nanocrystalline phase embedded in a predominantly aluminosilicate glassy medium and has shown to be an interesting matrix for rare earth ions. Luminescence decay curves of single Nd³⁺ and Yb³⁺ doped and co-doped samples at different temperatures have been analyzed in order to calculate the energy transfer and backtransfer rates between these ions. Finally, the results have been also investigated to known the phonons involved in the energy transfer processes, concluding at the end that the Nd³⁺ → Yb³⁺ energy transfer rate takes place by the emission of three phonons with energy around 325 cm⁻¹ and in the other hand, Nd³⁺ ← Yb³⁺ energy transfer rate has been found to be non-negligible for temperatures over 370 K with the requirement of absorption of phonons.     

Nonlinear optical studies of lead lanthanum borate glass doped with Au nanoparticles

Synthesis, characterization and optical nonlinearity of lead lanthanum borate glass embedded with gold nanoparticles have been investigated. DSC thermogram shows characteristics glass transition temperature at T_g = 775 K. Glasses doped with Au were subjected to heat treatment at 823 K with different annealing time and then, slowly cooled to room temperature show striking ruby color. SAED and TEM analyses have confirmed that f.c.c. Au nanoparticles of ~ 40 nm size are present in these glasses. An absorption peak centered on 563 nm has been observed in heat treated samples, which is attributed to surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles. Nonlinear optical studies with open aperture Z-Scan technique show saturable absorption for heat treated samples at low intensity and reverse saturable absorption in samples without heat treatment at high intensity.     

Optimization of doping concentration in Er:tellurite glass based on heat analysis

The comprehensive analysis about heat-generating processes is presented in Er:tellutire glass. The heat fraction of each process and total heat fraction during pumping are investigated. The results show that upconversion is an important heat-generation process and heat problem is serious especially at high Er³⁺ doping level. The influence of pump power on heat fraction is also discussed. Based on the heat analysis, the optimized doping concentration range of Erbium ions is about 0.5 mol% to 1.0 mol%.     

Surface compositional studies of heat reduced lead silicate glass

SIMS and AES compositional analysis of the surface layer for a lead silicate glass reduced at three different temperatures was carried out and the depth distribution for some components to a depth of 120 nm was obtained. It was found that by increasing the reduction temperature the layer located just below the surface becomes rich in silicon oxides, a potassium accumulation takes place on the surface and the depth distribution of the other chemical components exhibits a maximum, the location of which depends on the reduction temperature.     

Strong green emission from Er3+ in a fluorine containing (Pb,La)–tellurite glass without using up-conversion route

Absorption, emission, excitation spectra and the lifetime of the ⁴S_3/2 excited luminescent state of Er³⁺ ions in a fluorine containing (lead, lanthanum)–tellurite glass have been studied. The glass exhibits a strong green luminescence upon excitation through 380 nm (⁴I_15/2 → ⁴G_11/2) absorption band of its Er³⁺ ions. The spectrum consists of a strong green component in the wavelength range 534–553 nm due to luminescence transitions ²H_11/2 → ⁴I_15/2 and ⁴S_3/2 → ⁴I_15/2 and a very weak red component in the range 650–710 nm due to ⁴F_9/2 → ⁴I_15/2 transition. The Stark split components of the ⁴S_3/2 state are not very clear in the spectrum, but the biexponential luminescence decay of the ⁴S_3/2 state confirms the presence of the Stark levels. A rapid conversion of the upper Stark level to the lower level is also evident from the decay kinetics which helps greater number of ions to populate in the lower stark level of the ⁴S_3/2 state. Thus, the present study indicates that the glass may be a suitable candidate for use as a laser medium in making a solid state green laser by pumping the later by normal route.     

Effect of gamma-rays on some mixed alkali borate glasses containing nickel

The change of optical absorption of some irradiated mixed alkali borate glasses containing nickel has been studied by varying the gamma-ray dose or the mixed alkali oxide content. The induced bands increase as the radiation process proceeds until a certain limit after which a constancy is assumed to be reached.The investigation of the observed spectra shows that there is an induced absorption band with its maximum at 550 nm, in addition to the characteristic absorption bands of the divalent nickel ions with peaks in the visible region at 410, 640, 680 and 750 nm.     

铒镱双掺的钒酸钇和铌酸锂晶体中的铒离子的上转换发光

利用J-O理论,计算了在铒、镱双掺的钒酸钇和铌酸锂晶体中的铒离子在室温下的晶场唯象参数Ωλ(λ=2,4,6)及辐射跃迁几率、无辐射跃迁几率和共振跃迁几率.考虑到铒、镱间的能量转移,写出了在这些晶体中的铒离子的速率方程.速率方程的解表明,在铒、镱双掺的钒酸钇晶体中的铒离子的550 nm的上转换发光,比它在铒、镱双掺的铌酸锂晶体中更为有效.这一理论结果与我们的实验观察结果一致.     

Er3+单掺与Er3+/Yb3+共掺NBT-CT无铅压电陶瓷的上转换发光性能研究

采用固相烧结法制备一系列Er³⁺单掺与Er³⁺/Yb³⁺共掺0.96Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃-0.04CaTiO₃(NBT-CT∶xEr³⁺/yYb³⁺,x=0.002~0.015,y=0.010)无铅压电陶瓷。通过X射线衍射仪和荧光光谱仪分别对样品的物相结构和上转换发光特性进行表征和分析。结果表明,样品的主晶相为NBT晶相。在波长为980 nm的近红外光激发下,Er³⁺单掺与Er³⁺/Yb³⁺共掺NBT-CT陶瓷均呈现强的以绿光为主的Er³⁺特征上转换发光。在NBT-CT∶xEr³⁺中,当x=0.010时上转换发光性能最佳;Yb³⁺能够起到敏化作用,明显增强Er³⁺的上转换发光强度。     

Effect of Li2O on the heterogeneous structure of equi-molar lead borate glasses

Different glass samples in the Li₂O, PbO and B₂O₃ system have been prepared by melt quenching method. These glasses were classified in two groups such as 0.5 B₂O₃, (0.5 ? x) PbO, xLi₂O and (0.5 + y) B₂O₃; (0.25 ? y)PbO; 0.25Li₂O. The IR spectra almost show broad bands in the frequency range (800–1050) cm^?1 and (1100–1500) cm^?1, together with different weak bands over the range of investigation (2400–3000) cm^?1. The deconvolution analyses of these IR spectra reveals presence of multi structure arrangements from BO₄ and BO₃ groups, such as penta, tri, and diborates grouping together with meta; ortho borates as well as PbO_n groups. Partial replacement of PbO by Li₂O causes decrease in microhardness, a change which is attributed to the decrease in the concentration of ortho borate groups as is it revealed from the bands area analysis. The IR analysis shows also that the total concentration of (meta + ortho) borates is nearly constant while their individual concentrations is proportional depending on the relative concentration of PbO and Li₂O.     

Thermo-optical properties and nonradiative quantum efficiency of Er3+-doped and Er3+/Tm3+-co-doped tellurite glasses

Thermal lens (TL) measurements were performed in tellurite glasses, 70TeO₂–19WO₃–7Na₂O–4Nb₂O₅ (mol%), undoped, doped with Er³⁺ (1.19 × 10²⁰ ions/cm³) and co-doped with Er³⁺ (1.19 × 10²⁰ ions/cm³)/Tm³⁺ (1.56 × 10²⁰ ions/cm³). The absolute nonradiative quantum efficiency (ϕ) was determined by the TL method. The ϕ values for Er³⁺/Tm³⁺-co-doped and Er³⁺-doped tellurite glasses were 0.98 and 0.74, respectively. Fluorescence spectra were performed at λ_e = 488 nm and used to estimate the fluorescence quantum efficiency (η) using the TL results. These values were compared with results obtained by Judd–Ofelt calculations.     

Solarization mechanism of glass containing Ce3+ and As5+

The solarization mechanism in a glass containing both Ce³⁺ and As⁵⁺, 16Na₂O·11CaO·73SiO₂:0.15AsO_x·0.015CeO_x (in mol.%), is newly proposed by elucidating the valence and coordination structure of arsenic after the photochemical reaction, the mechanism being traditionally expressed as

$\text{2}\text{Ce}{}^{\mathrm{3+}}\text{+}\text{As}{}^{\mathrm{5+}}\text{→}\text{hv}\text{2}\text{Ce}{}^{\mathrm{4+}}\text{+}\text{As}{}^{\mathrm{3+}}$

ESR hyperfine quartets due to an As⁴⁺ ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 T built up on UV-irradiation and their line shape varied with the duration of the irradiation. The line shape analysis of the ESR spectra employing a computer simulation technique has led to the following conclusions; (1) As⁵⁺ is reduced to As⁴⁺ in the solarization process. (2) The geometry around the As⁴⁺ in the solarized glass is tetrahedral during the early stage and trigonal-pyramidal during the latter stage of the reaction.     

980nm红外激发下氟氧化物中Er3+的上转换可见发光

制备了掺杂Er3+的氟氧化物(10ZrF4-10PbF2-10NaF-5Na2O-60SiO2)材料,测量了样品的吸收谱、上转换荧光发射谱和上转换发光强度与激光泵浦功率的对数关系.分析了Er3+的上转换可见发光机制,证实了在980nmLD的激发下,Er3+在402nm、449nm蓝光波段和520nm、551nm绿光波段的上转换荧光发射来自于4f电子的2H9/2、4F5/2、4S3/2、2H11/2激发态到基态4I15/2的跃迁,给出了2H9/2→4I15/2、4F5/2→4I15/2蓝光三光子激发态吸收(ESA)和4S3/2→4I15/2、2H11/2→4I15/2绿光双光子激发态吸收(ESA)的上转换发光机制.     

Phase evolution on heat treatment of sodium silicate water glass

Heat treatment of sodium silicate water glass of the nominal composition Na₂O/SiO₂ = 1:3 was carried out from 100 °C up to 800 °C and the advancement of the resulting phases was followed up by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetry along with differential thermal analysis. The water glass, initially being an amorphous solid, starts to form crystals of β-Na₂Si₂O₅ at about 400 °C and crystallizes the SiO₂ modification cristobalite at about 600 °C that coexists along with β-Na₂Si₂O₅ up to 700 °C. At 750 °C Na₆Si₈O₁₉ appears as a separate phase and beyond 800 °C, the system turns into a liquid.