Ag NPs induced near-infrared emission enhancement of Er3+/Tm3+ codoped tellurite glass

Abstract:

Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were introduced into Er3+/Tm3+ codoped tellurite glasses prepared using melt-quenching and heat-treated techniques. The glass samples were characterized by the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence to reveal the Ag NPs induced broadband near-infrared band emission enhancement of Er3+/Tm3+ ions. The studied glasses possessed good thermal stability with larger than 137 ℃. For glass sample heat-treated at 360 ℃ for 6 h, the nucleated Ag NPs in near-spherical shape with an average diameter about 6.5 nm dispersed in the glass matrix. Under the excitation of 808 nm laser diode (LD), the broadband near-infrared fluorescence emission extending from 1 350 nm to 1 620 nm, owing to the combined contributions from the 3H4→3F4 transition of Tm3+ at 1.47 µm band and the 4I13/2→4I15/2 transition of Er3+ at 1.53 µm band, improved significantly with the introduction of Ag NPs, which is mainly attributed to the increased local electric field. The present results indicate that Er3+/Tm3+/Ag NPs codoped tellurite glass with good thermal stability is a promising glass material for broadband fiber amplifiers of WDM transmission systems.