Spectroscopic Properties and Energy Transfers in Tm3+ and Yb3+/Tm3+ Doped Fluoroaluminate Glass

The mechanisms of Tm3+ →Tm3+ and Yb3+ Tm3+ energy transfers and fluorescence properties have been investigated in both Tm3+ and Yb3+/Tm3+ AYF glasses. The cross-relaxation process, 3F4 + 3H6 → 23H4, is proved, which makes the optimum Tm3+ concentration of 1.77 μm fluorescence(3H4 → 3H6) much higher than 1.45 μm fluorescence (3F4 → 3H4) in Tm3+ :AYF glasses. In Yb3+/Tm3+ :AYF glasses, the stronger concentration quenching of 476 nm emission than 797 nm emission is found under the 970 nm-excitation. The optimum concentration of Tma+ for 476 nm and 797 nm emission were about 0.1 mol-％ and 0.3～0.5 mol-％, respectively. The concentration quenching of Yba+ to upconversion fluorescence was also observed.