Spectroscopic investigations of near-infrared emission from Nd3+-doped zinc-phosphate glasses: Judd-Ofelt evaluation

Abstract Zinc-phosphate glasses doped with different concentrations of Nd 3+ ions have been prepared by the melt quenching technique and characterized the spectroscopic properties. The physical properties by means of density and molar volume are determined. The amorphous nature of the glasses has been confirmed by X–ray diffraction analysis. FTIR spectra exhibited the fundamental stretching vibrations modes of glass network. In order to study the spectroscopic properties of fabricated glasses, absorption and emission spectroscopy has been performed. Additionally, the spectroscopic properties of Nd 3+ ions were analyzed using J–O theory. UV–Vis–NIR absorption spectra of glass samples divulged twelve significant peaks. Considerable enhancement of Ω 2 values with increasing neodymium content indicated an improvement in the covalency and asymmetry of Nd 3+ ions environment. Under the excitation of 808 nm laser diode, two near-infrared emission bands at around 890 and 1060 nm from 4 F 3/2  →  4 I 9/2 and 4 I 11/2 radiative transitions respectively were observed in the Nd 3+ single doped glasses. The major intensity is observed for 1060 nm for such glass samples. Nd 3+ ions dopant is found to augment the luminescence intensity by a factor as much as 2.23 times as the concentration of Nd 3+ ions increase up to 1.5 mol%. The lifetimes of this level has been experimentally determined through decay profile studies. The developed glass possesses high fluorescence quantum efficiency (η = 96%). The results indicate that the prepared glass system could be a suitable candidate for using it as laser gain media around 1060 nm, solid-state lasers and fiber amplifiers.