Middle infrared luminescence of Tb 3+ in silver halide crystals and fibers

Abstract

The optical absorption and the luminescence emission were investigated in AgCl x Br 1− x crystals (0< x<1) doped with Tb 3+ ions and in fibers extruded from these crystals. Strong luminescence emission in the middle infrared (MIR) in the spectral range 4.2–5.6 μm was observed for the first time in such crystals and fibers. 1 1 Butvina et al. measured MIR luminescence from AgBr 1− x I x polycrystalline fiber. However, the emission was too weak to allow a detailed spectroscopic analysis of the luminescence spectrum.—“The middle IR luminescence of Tb 3+ doped AgBr 1− x I x polycrystalline fiber” by Butvina, L.N., Dianov, E.M., Okhrimchuk, A.G., Lichkova, N.V., Zavgordnev, V.N. (Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe—Technical Digest, 354pp.). Various optical parameters were calculated for the Tb 3+-doped crystals, using the Judd–Ofelt approximation. The measured and the calculated results have indicated that these doped crystals could be used for the development of solid-state lasers or fiber lasers operating in the middle infrared.