Energy transfer processes from Yb^(3+) to Ln^(3+) (Ln=Er or Tm) in heavy metal glasses

Heavy metal glasses doubly doped with Yb3＋ and Ln3＋ ions （Ln=Er or Tm） were studied. Glass host matrices were limited to lead borate glass and lead germanate glass. Efficient resonant （yb3＋-Er3＋） and non-resonant （yb3＋-Tm3＋） energy transfer was ob- served for the studied systems. Near-infrared luminescence spectra at 1.53 μm （Er3＋） and 1.9 gm （Tm3＋） were detected under excita- tion of Yb3＋ by 975 nm diode laser line. They corresponded to 4I13/2→4115/2 （Er3＋） and 3F4→3H6 （Tm3＋） transitions of rare earth ions, respectively. The unusual large spectral linewidth nearly close to 110 nm for 4I13/2→4I15/2 transition of Er3＋ ions in lead borate glass was obtained, whereas long-lived near-infrared luminescence at 1.53 gm was detected in lead germanate glass. Quite different situa- tion was observed for yb3＋-Tm3＋ doubly doped glasses. In contrast to lead borate glass, near-infrared （3F4→3H6） luminescence spectra were registered for Tm3＋ ions in lead germanate glasses, only. These phenomena strongly depended on stretching vibrations of glass host, which was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy.