Faraday effect and spectral properties of high-concentrated rare earth oxide glasses in visible and near UV region

Abstract

Faraday rotation, optical absorption and the magneto-optical figure of merit of silicophosphate and aluminoborate glasses containing high concentrations of Pr 3+, Dy 3+, Ce 3+ and Tb 3+ have been investigated in the spectral region from 300 to 700 nm. The magneto-optical figure of merit of oxide glasses containing rare earth ions has been measured in the near ultraviolet region for the first time. In glasses with Pr 3+, its value reached 300–600 grad/kOe in the spectral range 300–400 nm. It is shown that Faraday rotation and fundamental absorption are due to different electron processes and change in a different way at the transition from one glass matrix to another as well as at the transition from crystalline rare earth oxides to rare earth doped glasses.