Abstract
Yb3+-doped phosphate glasses containing different amounts of SiO2 were successfully synthesized by the conventional melt-quenching method. The influence mechanism of SiO2 on the structural and spectroscopic properties was investigated systematically using the micro-Raman technique. It was worth noting that the glass with 26.7 mol % SiO2 possessed the longest fluorescence lifetime (1.51 ms), the highest gain coefficient (1.10 ms·pm2), the maximum Stark splitting manifold of 2F7/2 level (781 cm−1), and the largest scalar crystal-field NJ and Yb3+ asymmetry degree. Micro-Raman spectra revealed that introducing SiO2 promoted the formation of P=O linkages, but broke the P=O linkages when the SiO2 content was greater than 26.7 mol %. Based on the previous 29Si MAS NMR experimental results, these findings further demonstrated that the formation of [SiO6] may significantly affect the formation of P=O linkages, and thus influences the spectroscopic properties of the glass. These results indicate that phosphosilicate glasses may have potential applications as a Yb3+-doped gain medium for solid-state lasers and optical fiber amplifiers.
Highlights
Yb3+ -doped laser materials operating at wavelengths around 1 μm have been intensively investigated for a wide variety of applications, such as high-power and short-pulse lasers, material processing, and optical telecommunications [1,2,3,4]
Recent studies have shown that the mechanical properties of phosphate glasses can be efficiently improved by doping with SiO2 [10,11,12]
The absorption intensity of glass samples decreased with increasing SiO22 content
Summary
Yb3+ -doped laser materials operating at wavelengths around 1 μm have been intensively investigated for a wide variety of applications, such as high-power and short-pulse lasers, material processing, and optical telecommunications [1,2,3,4]. For high-power glass-based laser systems, phosphate glasses have been used as a matrix for Yb3+ ions because of their high rare-earth solubility, high gain coefficient and superior spectroscopic properties [7,8,9]. Recent studies have shown that the mechanical properties of phosphate glasses can be efficiently improved by doping with SiO2 [10,11,12]. Zhang Liyan et al [12] reported that the spectroscopic properties of 60P2 O5 -7.5Al2 O3 -15K2 O-17.5BaO glass can be improved by the addition of SiO2. The glass structure and the local coordination of rare-earth ions can be effectively modulated by doping SiO2 into phosphate glasses which critically influences the spectroscopic properties of the glass. The results may have certain implications for the realization of a new generation of high-power solid-state lasers for optical telecommunications applications
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