Broadband near infrared emission of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped fluorotellurite glass

Abstract TeO2-AlF3-NaF-BaF2-LaF3 glasses containing both Er3+ and Yb3+ were prepared by conventional quenching melt method. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) curve displays good thermal stability with glass transition temperature larger than 426.38 °C. Urbach energy was found to be 0.05 eV indicating few defects in prepared glass and its high homogeneity. Based on optical absorption spectra, important spectroscopic parameters are investigated to predict the potential luminescent properties in near-infrared band. Intense Er3+ emission around 1.53 µm corresponding to the transition of 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 upon 980 nm excitation. Effective bandwidth ( Δ λ eff ) over 100 nm after introducing 4 mol% amount of ErF3 implies that Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped those glasses possesses excellent broadband luminescent property around 1.53 µm.