Fabrication of Er3+/Pr3+ Co-doped soda-lime glass thin films using RF magnetron sputtering method and optical property characterization

Er^3+/Pr³⁺ co-doped soda-lime glass thin films have been fabricated using RF magnetron sputtering method and their structural and optical properties have been studied. Deposition rate, crystallinity, and composition of glass thin films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electron probe micro area analysis. Refractive index, birefringence and binding characteristics have been investigated using a prism coupler and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Er³⁺/Pr³⁺ co-doped soda lime glass thin films were prepared by changing substrate temperature (room temp. ∼550^∘C), RF power (90 W–130 W), and Ar/O₂ gas flow ratio at processing pressure of 4 mTorr. Glass thin films could be obtained at the optimized processing condition at 350^∘C, RF power of 130 W, and gas flow of Ar:O₂ = 40:0 with maximum deposition rate of 1.6 μm/h. Refractive index and birefringence increased from 1.5614 to 1.5838 and from 0.000154 to 0.000552, respectively, as the content of Pr³⁺ increased. Binding energy of Pr3d also increased as the content of Pr³⁺ increased.