Energy transfer in crystalline Er 3+,Yb 3+:Sc 2O 3

Abstract

The use of Yb 3+ as a sensitizer for Er 3+ doped laser materials is a common technique because of the high Yb 3+ absorption cross sections. Energy transfer processes from Yb 3+ to Er 3+ in Sc 2O 3 are studied by two different methods. Transfer parameters describing the interactions between Er 3+ and Yb 3+ ions are obtained on the one hand from the ratio of emitted photons around 1.55 μm by Er 3+ ions and around 1 μm by Yb 3+ ions at cw excitation of Yb 3+, on the other hand by lifetime measurements of Yb 3+ ions in the codoped samples. Laser experiments are performed to study the suitability of Er 3+,Yb 3+:Sc 2O 3 as a laser material. Comparisons with energy transfer in Er 3+,Yb 3+:glass are made.