TeO2-Ga2O3-ZnO ternary tellurite glass doped with Tm3+ and Ho3+ for 2 µm fiber lasers

Abstract The glass-forming region of TeO2-Ga2O3-ZnO (TGZ) ternary tellurite glass was predicted via a thermodynamic method and then confirmed by a few experiments. Upon cooling the melts at a rate of ~20 K/s, the glass formation was observed within the range of 60–97 TeO2, 0–20 Ga2O3, and 0–40 ZnO (in mol%). For a better understanding of their fundamental physical, thermal and optical properties, the density, characteristic temperatures, Abbe number, linear and nonlinear refractive indices were comprehensively investigated. The possibility of TGZ glass host for 2 µm fiber lasers was studied through Tm3+ and Ho3+ doping and rare-earth sensitization. The results show such newly developed TGZ glass owns high thermal stability, low phonon energy and efficient 2 µm fluorescence, which enriches the tellurite glass system and may contribute to the research of high gain fiber lasers.