Thermal stability and spectroscopic properties of Er 3+-doped niobium tellurite glasses for broadband amplifiers

Abstract

Three Er 3+-doped tellurite glasses with compositions of 70TeO 2–30ZnO, 70TeO 2–20ZnO–10Nb 2O 5 and 70TeO 2–20ZnO–5BaO–5Nb 2O 5 have been investigated for developing fiber and planar broadband amplifiers and lasers. The optical spectroscopic properties and thermal stability of Er 3+-doped tellurite glasses have been discussed. The results show that the incorporation of Nb 2O 5 increases the thermal stability of Er 3+-doped tellurite glasses significantly, Er 3+-doped niobium tellurite glasses 70TeO 2–20ZnO–10Nb 2O 5 and 70TeO 2–20ZnO–5BaO–5Nb 2O 5 exhibit the good thermal stability (Δ T > 150 °C), the large emission cross-section (>10 × 10 −21 cm 2) and broad full width at half maximum (∼65 nm), will be preferable for broadband Er 3+-doped fiber amplifiers.