Near-infrared fluorescence in neodymium acetylacetonate hydrate doped poly methyl methacrylate

Abstract. Neodymium acetylacetonate hydrate (NAH) doped poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) has been prepared and near-infrared (NIR) 1069 and 1342 nm emissions possessing the full widths at half maximum of correspondingly 61 and 75 nm have been observed. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Ωt (t=2, 4, 6) are respectively derived to be 16.34×10−20, 11.35×10−20, and 9.50×10−20  cm2, indicating a high asymmetrical and covalent environment of Nd3+ in NAH doped PMMA. The spontaneous emission probabilities for F3/24→I11/24 and F3/24→I13/24 transitions are severally 2542.4 and 456.9  s−1, from which the associated maximum stimulated emission cross sections have been determined to be 3.19×10−20 and 1.28×10−20  cm2, respectively. High emission probabilities and large emission cross sections of NIR fluorescence in NAH doped PMMA reveal its potential as an NIR polymer optical material in practical applications as optical thin films and fibers.