Er3+-doped fluoro-tellurite glass: A new choice for 2.7 μm lasers

A novel erbium ion doped fluoro-tellurite glasses were prepared, and 2.7 mu m emission properties, thermal stability and chemical durability were investigated. An intense 2.7 mu m emission was observed. It was also found that the thermal stability and chemical durability were greatly improved by introducing a small amount of TeO2 into fluoride glasses. In addition, the spontaneous transition probability (A) and branching ratios (beta) of Er3+-doped fluoro-tellurite glasses were calculated and analyzed. The present Er3+-doped fluoro-tellurite glasses with large 2.7 mu m emission cross-sections (6.32x10(-21) cm(2)) indicate that it has a very promising application for solid state lasers around 3 mu m. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.