Title: Effective sensitization of Yb3+ ions on Yb3+ or Nd3+ co-doped fluoroborate glasses for NIR luminescence applications

Abstract

Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped fluoroborate glass samples were fabricated by melt quenching. The infrared luminescence of the Nd3+/Yb3+ codoped fluoroborate glass was characterized by XRD, SEM, FT-IR, optical Absorption, Photoluminescence and time resolved luminescence. There is an effective mutual energy transfer process between Nd3+ and Yb3+ in prepared glasses was observed. Excitation was made using a laser diode tuned to 808 nm wavelength. The broad emission range from 850 to 1400 nm is due to both Nd3+ (4F3/2→4I9/2, 4F3/2→4I11/2 and 4F3/2→ 4I13/2) and Yb3+ (2F5/2→2F7/2) transitions. The dependence of NIR emission, lifetime, and the energy transfer efficiency (ηETE) with the concentration of Yb3+ was studied in detail. The Photoluminescence spectra along with donor decay curves have been used to establish the energy transfer mechanism between Nd3+/Yb3+ ions. The results represents that the sensitization of Yb3+ is possible through 4f-4f transition of Nd3+ ions in prepared glasses. The photoluminescence properties of the Nd3+ singly doped and Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped prepared glasses indicate their suitability as multiple pump channel sources for Yb3+ fiber laser systems. Those results prove that Nd3+/Yb3+ codoped prepared fluoroborate glass is the potential infrared laser gain material.