Photoluminescence of Pr 3+, Sm 3+ and Dy 3+-doped SiO 2–Al 2O 3–BaF 2–GdF 3 glasses

Abstract

In this paper, we present the photoluminescence properties of Pr 3+, Sm 3+ and Dy 3+-doped transparent oxyfluoride alumino-silicate glasses. These glasses have shown strong emission and absorption bands in visible and near-infrared (NIR) region. From the measured absorption spectra, Judd–Ofelt (J–O) intensity parameters ( Ω 2, Ω 4 and Ω 6) have been calculated for all the studied ions. For Pr 3+-doped glass, emission bands centered at 532 nm ( 3P 0 → 3H 5), 615 nm ( 3P 0 → 3H 6) and 647 nm ( 3P 0 → 3F 2) have been observed with 486 nm ( 3H 4 → 3P 0) excitation wavelength. Of them, 647 nm ( 3P 0 → 3F 2) has shown bright red emission. Emission bands of 4G 5/2 → 6H 5/2 (563 nm), 4G 5/2 → 6H 7/2 (599 nm) 4G 5/2 → 6H 9/2 (645 nm) and 707 nm ( 4G 5/2 → 6H 11/2) for the Sm 3+:glass, with excitation at 6H 5/2 → 4F 7/2 (403 nm) have been recorded. Of them, 4G 5/2 → 6H 7/2 (599 nm) has shown a bright orange emission. With regard to the Dy 3+:glass, a bright fluorescent yellow emission at 575 nm ( 4F 9/2 → 6H 13/2) and blue emission at 484 nm ( 4F 9/2 → 6H 15/2) have been observed, apart from 4F 9/2 → 6H 11/2 (663 nm) emission transition with an excitation at 388 nm ( 6H 15/2 → 4I 13/2 + 4F 7/2) wavelength. The stimulated emission cross-sections of all the emission bands of Pr 3+, Sm 3+ and Dy 3+:glasses have been computed based on their measured full-width at half maximum (FWHM, Δ λ) and measured lifetimes ( τ m).