Excitation Energy Transfer of Nd3+-Yb3+-Er3+ in Several Glasses

The energy transfer processes among Nd3+, Yb3+, and Er3+ ions in glasses were investigated by fluorescence spectra and decay times. The results were interpreted on the basis of a kinetic model which describes the interactions between rare earth ions in terms of microparameters characterizing the probabilities of energy migration. The efficiencies of Nd3+→Yb3+ energy transfer were found to increase in the order of phosphatealuminate. All the observed emission intensities originating from the 4I13/2 level of Er3+ were mainly determined by the efficiencies of energy transfer from Yb3+ to Er3+ in both Yb3++Er3+ and Nd3++Yb3++Er3+ codoped glasses, and strongly dependent on the concentration ratio of Er3+/Yb3+ for triply doped glasses.