Broadband 1.53 μm emission in Er 3+-doped Ga-Bi-Pb-Ge heavy metal oxide glasses

Abstract

We investigated the thermal stability and spectroscopic properties of the 1.53 μm emission from 4I 13/2 → 4I 15/2 transition of Er 3+ ions in Er 3+/Yb 3+-codoped Ga-Bi-Pb-Ge heavy metal oxide glass for use in broadband fiber amplifiers. It was noted that the addition of GeO 2 effectively enhanced the thermal stability of the heavy metal oxide glass studied. The emission peak located at approximately 1530 nm with a full width at half-maximum of approximately 58 nm. The measured lifetime and the calculated emission cross-section of this transition were ∼3.2 ms and ∼10.3×10 −21 cm 2, respectively. As a result, Ga-Bi-Pb-Ge heavy metal oxide glasses were assumed to be potential host material for the 1.53 μm broadband optical fiber amplifiers.