Stimulated emission and radiative properties of Nd ions in barium fluorophosphate glass containing sulphate

Spectroscopic properties of Nd³⁺ in barium fluorophosphate glassy matrix containing sulphate have been analysed by fitting the experimental data with the standard Judd-Ofelt theory. Various spectroscopic parameters viz. radiative transition probabilities, radiative decay time, fluorescence branching ratios, electric dipole line strengths, stimulated emission cross sections and optical gain of the principal fluorescence transition from the ⁴F_3/2 metastable level are obtained. Results show that addition of sulphate to the fluorophosphate matrix will enhance the fluorescence spectral properties of Nd³⁺ considerably. Quantum efficiency of the ⁴F_3/2 emission is found to be higher than that of fluorophosphate glasses and stimulated emission cross section of the ⁴F_3/2→⁴I_11/2 transition is the highest among all reported values. Quantitative estimation of the non-radiative processes such as multiphonon relaxation and quenching by water content was carried out and the results show that the water content is below the critical level for optimum laser performance.