Er3+-doped phosphate glasses with improved gain characteristics for broadband optical amplifiers

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 285; no. 24; pp. 5364 - 5367
• Main Authors: Amarnath Reddy, A., Surendra Babu, S., Vijaya Prakash, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-11-2012
• Subjects: Emission cross-sections; Emission lifetime; Er3+ ions; Gain per unit length; Phosphate glasses; Phosphate glasses; Emission cross-sections; Er3+ ions; Emission lifetime; Gain per unit length
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2012.08.031

Optical properties of Erbium-doped sodium aluminum telluro–phosphate glasses with compositions of 48P2O5–21Na2O–23Al2O3–(8−x)TeO2–(x)Er2O3 (where x=2–7) were investigated. From the measured optical absorption spectra, Judd–Ofelt (JO) analysis has been carried out to predict radiative properties of doped Er3+ ion luminescent levels. The estimated emission cross sections were found to be more than other commonly available short-length optical amplifier (aluminosilicate) glasses. Relative emission intensity enhancement with the increase of Er3+ ion concentration is observed for the laser transition, 4I13/2→4I15/2 (at 1.53μm). Higher emission lifetimes (4.2–6.23ms), higher quantum efficiencies (44–65%) relative at higher Er3+ ion concentrations, high gain bandwidth and gain per unit length at 1.5μm are the most notable features of these glasses for future optical amplifier applications.