Influence of Eu3+ ions on 1.5 μm luminescence of Er3+ in TeO2-ZnO-Bi2O3 glasses

TeO2-ZnO-Bi2O3 glasses doped with Eu3+ and Er3+ ions were prepared and investigated for their physical, optical, and luminescent properties. The optical band gap is calculated for the indirect transition and is within the 3.04-3.10 eV range. The Urbach energy varies from 0.135 to 0.098 eV with the increase in Eu3+ compound content. Bi2Te2O8 and ZnTeO3 complex oxide phases are generated in the mixture as intermediate compounds in the course of charge thermal processing. The additional doping of TeO2-ZnO-Bi2O3:Er3+ glass samples with Eu3+ ions is shown to lead to the appearance of cross-relaxation channels of the Er3+ ion states and decreases the population of the I-4(13/2) state of the Er3+ ions. Simultaneously, the excited I-4(11/2) state of the Er3+ ions is also subjected to strong cross-relaxation decay. The Eu3+ ions are shown to decrease the I-4(13/2) level population of Er3+ ions, which may facilitate the attainment of population inversion if the I-4(13/2) level is at the lower level of the laser transition.

Automated summary

TeO2-ZnO-Bi2O3 glasses doped with Eu3+ and Er3+ ions were investigated for their physical, optical, and luminescent properties. The additional doping of Eu3+ ions led to the appearance of cross-relaxation channels of Er3+ ion states and decreased the population of the I-4(13/2) state of Er3+ ions.