The effect of OH~- groups on the spectroscopic properties of erbium-doped tellurite glasses

With the rapid development of computer networks and other data-transmitting ser-vices, the demand for the increase of transmission capacity of the long distance trans-mission system is urgent. However, the conventional SiO2-based EDFA is limited for its small bandwidth. The Er3+-doped tellurite glass exhibits a larger stimulated-emission cross section and a broader emission bandwidth at the third communication window (1.55 μm) than that of silicate, phosphate, and germanate glasses, which c…

The effect of OH− groups on the spectroscopic properties of erbium-doped tellurite glasses

A series of five different concentration erbium-doped tellurite glasses with various hydroxl groups were prepared. Infrared spectra of glasses were measured. In order to estimate the exact content of OH⁻ groups in samples, various absorption coefficients of the OH⁻ vibration band were analyzed under the different oxygen bubbling times. The absorption spectra of the glasses were measured, and the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Ω _i of samples with the different erbium ions concentration and OH⁻ contents were calculated on the basis of the Judd-Ofelt theory. The peak stimulated emission cross-section of ⁴|_13/2→⁴|_15/2 transition of the samples was finally calculated by using the McCumber theory. The fluorescence spectra of Er³⁺:⁴|_13/2→⁴|_15/2 transition and the lifetime of Er³⁺:⁴|_13/2 level of the samples were measured. The effects of OH⁻ groups on the spectroscopic properties of Er³⁺ doped samples with the different concentrations were discussed. The results showed that the OH⁻ groups had great influences on the Er³⁺ lifetime and the fluorescence peak intensity. The OH⁻ group is a main influence factor of fluorescence quenching when the doping concentration of Er₂O₃ is smaller than 1.0 mol%, but higher after this concentration, the energy transfer of Er³⁺ ions turns into the main function of the fluorescence quenching. And basically, there is no influence on the other spectroscopic properties (FWHM, absorption spectra, peak stimulated emission cross section, etc.).