Super broadband near-infrared emission and energy transfer in Bi-Er co-doped lanthanum aluminosilicate glasses

The Bi-Er co-doped lanthanum aluminosilicate glasses, which exhibited a broadband near-infrared emission, were developed and observed in using the optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra. A super broadband near-infrared emission extending from 1.0 to 1.8 mu m with a full-width at half-maximum of 450 nm which covered the whole O, E, S, C and L bands, was observed in Bi-Er co-doped samples under 808 nm excitation, as a result of the overlap of the Bi-related emission band (1270 nm) and the emission from Er3+ I-4(13/2) -> I-4(15/2) transition (1545 nm). This report will discuss about a possible mechanism for energy transfer between Bi-related centers and Er3+ ion. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.