Optical absorption, fluorescence and decay properties of Pr 3+-doped PbO–H 3BO 3–TiO 2–AlF 3 glasses

Abstract

Spectroscopic and laser properties of PbO–H 3BO 3–TiO 2–AlF 3 glasses doped with 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mol% of Pr 6O 11 have been studied. Optical absorption spectra were recorded in the UV–vis–NIR regions and the observed absorption bands were assigned to different electronic transitions from 3H 4 ground state of 4f 2 configuration. The three phenomenological Judd–Ofelt (J–O) parameters Ω t ( t=2, 4, 6) were determined from the measured oscillator strengths by including as well as excluding the 3H 4→ 3P 2 hypersensitive transition in J–O analysis. The emission characteristics such as stimulated emission cross-sections ( σ e ), measured branching ratios ( β m), measured lifetimes ( τ m), quantum efficiencies ( η) and gain parameters ( σ e × τ m) have been evaluated for the principal intermanifold transitions of Pr 3+ from the 3P 0 and 1D 2 states to the lower lying manifolds in the visible region. From the emission and decay measurements, the effect of Pr 3+ ion concentration on the quenching of the 1D 2 measured lifetimes has been discussed.