Spectroscopic characterization of $$\hbox {Er}^{3+}$$ Er 3 + doped lead zinc phosphate glass via Judd–Ofelt analysis

Abstract

Lead zinc phosphate (LZP) glass doped with 0.6% \(\hbox {Er}^{3+}\) is prepared by a conventional melt quenching technique. Judd–Ofelt (JO) analysis is carried out with an absorption spectrum of the as-prepared glass generating the set of JO parameters: \(\varOmega _2 =2.75\times 10^{-20}\, \hbox {cm}^{-2}\), \(\varOmega _4 =2.71\times 10^{-20}\, \hbox {cm}^{-2}\) and \(\varOmega _6 =0.44\times 10^{-20}\, \hbox {cm}^{-2}\). The magnitude of the spectroscopic quality factor \((\chi _{\mathrm{p}} )\) defined by \(\varOmega _4 /\varOmega _6 \) obtained in our sample turns out to be 6.16 which is 2–10 times larger than that of other \(\hbox {Er}^{3+}\) doped glasses. The lifetime of \(^{4}\hbox {I}_{13/2}\) and \(^{4}\hbox {I}_{11/2}\) levels estimated via the JO parameters is found to provide superior values of 7.25 and 5.51 ms, respectively. The elevated value of \(\varOmega _4 /\varOmega _6 \) along with the estimated 100% luminescence branching ratio of \(^{4}\hbox {I}_{13/2} \rightarrow ^{4}\hbox {I}_{15/2}\) transition implies that \(\hbox {Er}^{3+}\) doped LZP can be a promising material as a laser active medium.