Microscopic and macroscopic parameters of energy transfer between 'Tm POT.3+' ions in fluoroindogallate glasses

In this work a rate equations formalism is used to study the kinetics of the 3 H 4 and 3 F 4 levels of Tm 3 + ions in fluoroindogallate glasses. Emphasis is given to the determination of the microscopic and macroscopic parameters of the energy transfer processes 3 H 4 , 3 H 6 → 3 F 4 , 3 F 4 and 3 H 4 , 3 H 6 → 3 H 6 , 3 H 4 . The l/e time of the 3 H 4 level in function of Tm 3 + concentration was simulated by using the macroscopic energy transfer rates obtained with the microparameters of energy transfer up to the quadrupole-quadrupole order of interaction. It was found that the quadrupole-quadrupole coupling dominates the mentioned energy transfer processes in such way that a reduction of about 22% in the estimation of the 3 F 4 level steady state population is observed if only the dipole-dipole coupling is taken into account.