Assessment of spectroscopic properties of erbium ions in a soda-lime silicate glass after silver–sodium exchange

• Published in: Optical materials Vol. 27; no. 11; pp. 1743 - 1747
• Main Authors: Chiasera, A., Ferrari, M., Mattarelli, M., Montagna, M., Pelli, S., Portales, H., Zheng, J., Righini, G.C.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-10-2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Absorption; Erbium; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Glasses, quartz; Ion exchange; Optical materials; Optics; Photoluminescence; Physics; Silicate glass; Silver; Surface plasmon resonance; Silver; 73.20.Mf; Absorption; 42.70.Ce; Photoluminescence; 78.55.−m; 81.40.Tv; Surface plasmon resonance; Ion exchange; Erbium; Silicate glass; 78.67.−n; 42.70.Ce Erbium; Surface plasmons; Soda-lime glasses; Nanoparticles; Excitation spectrum; Absorption spectra; Sodium silicates; 78.55.-m; Doped materials; Measuring methods; Silver additions; Heat treatments; 78.67.-n; Lifetime; Spherical particle; Erbium additions; Codoping
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2004.11.044

Spectroscopic properties of Ag/Er co-doped thin plates of silicate glass were investigated with the aim of assessing the effective role of silver as a sensitizer for erbium. Additive heat treatments in air at different temperatures were performed on both a silver-exchanged and a silver-free plate in order to promote the formation of silver nanoparticles in the former and to refer to the later in the spectroscopic characterization. Absorption as well as photoluminescence and lifetime measurements in the region of the 4I13/2→4I15/2 transition of the Er3+ ion were performed; excitation wavelengths in the range from 360 to 750nm were used. Enhancement of the Er3+ luminescence at 1.53μm was observed when the excitation wavelength was in the blue region. This spectral range typically coincides with the excitation energy of the surface plasmon resonance of nanometer-sized spherical silver particles.