Radiative and non-radiative transition probabilities and quantum yields for excited states of Er3+ in germanate and tellurite glasses

Abstract Absorption and fluorescence spectra of Er3+ in germanate and tellurite glasses were obtained. Spontaneous transition probabilities of the 4 S 3 2 and 4 F 9 2 to all terminal levels of Er3+ were calculated using the Judd-Ofelt theory and intensity parameters obtained from measured intergrated absorption coefficients. Quantum efficiencies of the 4 S 3 2 and 4 F 9 2 fluorescences were measured by the comparative method and by the use of measured decay times. Multiphonon relaxation rates for 4 S 3 2 → 4 F 9 2 and 4 F 9 2 → 4 I 9 2 were calculated using the experimental data. The average rate for 4 S 3 2 → 4 F 9 2 in germanate is 1.16 × 105 sec−1 and in tellurite is 1.60 × 104 sec−1, and the rate for 4 F 9 2 → 4 I 9 2 is 2.85 × 10 5 sec −1 in germanate and 2.33 × 105 sec−1 in tellurite. The higher rates in germanate glasses are explained by the stronger interaction of the glass phonons with the electronic states of Er3+ in germanate than in tellurite glasses. This also explains the higher quantum yield of the visible fluorescence of Er3+ in tellurite glasses compared to other glasses.

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