Effect of Yb on red to blue conversion fluorescence of Tm in fluorozirconate glass

The mechanisms governing the upconversion fluorescence from the ¹G₄ level of Tm³⁺ ions have been investigated in fluorozirconate glass doped with Tm³⁺ only and codoped with Tm³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions, under 649 (³H₄→¹G₄) and 684 nm (³H₆→³F₃) excitation wavelengths. The emission intensity depends on the excitation power quadratically in both samples, showing the two-photon absorption nature of the processes. An enhancement of the ¹G₄→³H₆ emission was observed in the codoped sample under 684 nm excitation. The upconversion emission in the single doped sample is mainly due to the E.S.A. process upon both excitations. The dominant mechanism was found to be the energy transfer processes between Tm³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions in the codoped sample when the excitation was tuned at 684 nm. The upconverted emission intensity shows a different temperature dependence under the two excitations in the codoped sample. However, for the 649 nm excitation the dependence is the same in both samples. This confirms the dominance of the E.S.A. process under 649 nm excitation in both, singly and doubly doped samples.