Properties Investigation of Yb<sup>3+</sup>-Doped Phosphate Glasses for Fiber Laser

Abstract

The physical and optical properties of P2O5-Al2O3-ZnO glasses doped with different concentration of Yb3+ions were investigated. The experimental results indicated that density, chemical durability, glass transition temperature (Tg) and glass softening temperature (Td) of glasses increase with increasing the Yb2O3content of glasses. However, the coefficient of thermal expansion (α) for glasses decrease with increasing the Yb2O3content. From the results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the numbers of (-P-O-P-) bonds decrease and (-P-O-M+-) bonds increase with increasing the Yb2O3content. Increase of non-bridge oxygen (-P-O-M+-) raise the refractive index of glasses. Moreover, the results of absorption spectra indicate that the absorption peak of glasses are observed at both wavelengths of 916nm and 977nm. As increasing the concentration of Yb2O3, the absorption efficiencies become stronger. In accordance with the results of fluorescence spectra, the fluorescence emission of glasses are detected at wavelengths of 970nm, 995nm, 1020nm and 1048nm, respectively. The intensity of the fluorescence emission peaks significantly decrease at wavelengths of 970nm and 995nm as the concentration of Yb2O3increases. However, the intensity of the fluorescence emission peaks significantly increase at wavelength of 1048nm under the same condition.