| Abstract: | A series of highly Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped fluoroaluminate glasses have been investigated in order to develop a microchip laser at 1.54 μm under 980 nm excitation. Measurements of absorption, emission and upconversion spectra have been performed to examine the effect of Er3+/Yb3+ concentration quenching on spectroscopic properties. In the glasses with Er3+ concentrations below 10 mol%, concentration quenching is very low and the Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped fluoroaluminate glasses have stronger fluorescence of 1.54 μm due to the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition than that of Er3+ singly-doped glasses. As Er3+ concentrations above 10 mol% in the Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped samples, concentration quenching of 1.54 μm does obviously occur as a result of the back energy transfer from Er3+ to Yb3+. To obtain the highest emission efficiency at 1.54 μm, the optimum doping-concentration ratio of Er3+/Yb3+ was found to be approximately 1:1 in mol fraction when the Er3+ concentration is less than 10 mol%. |
