Energy transfer rates and population inversion investigation of 1G4 and 1D2 excited states of Tm3+ in Yb:Tm:Nd:KY3F10 crystals

Abstract

In this work we present the spectroscopic properties of KY3F10 (KY3F) single crystals activated with thulium and co-doped with ytterbium and neodymium ions. The most important processes that lead to the thulium up-conversion emissions in the blue and ultraviolet regions were identified. A time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy technique was employed to measure the luminescence decays and to determine the most important mechanisms involved in the up-conversion process that populates 1G4 and 1D2 (Tm3+) excited states. Analysis of the energy-transfer processes dynamics using selective pulsed-laser excitations in Yb:Tm:Nd, Tm:Nd, and Tm:Yb KY3F crystals show that the energy transfer from Nd3+ to Yb3+ ions is the mechanism responsible for the enhancement of the blue up-conversion efficiency in the Yb:Tm:Nd:KY3F when compared with the Yb:Tm system. A study of the energy transfer processes in Yb:Tm:Nd:KY3F crystal showed that the 1G4 excited level is mainly populated by a sequence of two nonradiative energy transfers that starts well after the Nd3+ and Tm3+ excitation at 797 nm according to: Nd3+ (4F3/2) → Yb3+ (2F7/2) followed by Yb3+ (2F5/2) → Tm (3H4) → Tm3+ (1G4). Results of numerical simulation of the rate equations system showed that a population inversion for 483.1 nm laser emission line is attained for a pumping rate threshold of 98 s−1, which is equivalent to an intensity of 3.3 KW cm−2 for a continuous laser pumping at 797 nm for Yb(30 mol%):Tm(0.5 mol%):Nd(1 mol%):KY3F. Nevertheless, best Yb3+ concentration for the laser emission near 483.1 nm was estimated to be within 40 and 50 mol%. On the other hand, a population inversion was not observed for the case of 960 nm (Yb3+) pumping.