Examining the Spectroscopic and Thermographic Qualities of Er 3+ -doped Oxyfluoride Germanotellurite Glasses.

Novel ternary fluoro-germano-tellurite (GTS) glasses doped with Er 3+ ions with 0.5 mol% and 1.0 mol% were fabricated by a conventional melt and quenching method and investigated using methods of optical spectroscopy. The room-temperature absorption spectrum was recorded and analyzed to determine radiative transition rates, radiative lifetimes, and branching ratios of Er 3+ luminescence. Decay curves of Er 3+ luminesccence were recorded and analyzed. Temperature dependences of emission spectra and absorption spectra in the region from RT (room-temperature) up to 675 K were studied in detail. The contribution of competing radiative and nonradiative processes to the relaxation of luminescent levels of Er 3+ was assessed. Absolute and relative sensitivity were established utilizing the comprehensive model based on thermally coupled 2 H 11/2 / 4 S 3/2 excited states of erbium. The high quantum efficiency of the first erbium-excited state and value of gain coefficient indicate that GTS:Er glass system can be considered as conceivable NIR (near infrared) laser material as well.