Dy3+-doped Ga–Sb–S chalcogenide glasses for mid-infrared lasers. (October 2015) - Zhang, Mingjie
Graphical abstract: Highlights: Novel Ga–Sb–S chalcogenide glasses doped with Dy 3+ ions were synthesized. The glasses show good thermal stability and excellent infrared transparency. The glasses show low phonon energy and intense mid-infrared emissions. The mid-infrared emissions have high quantum efficiency. The mid-infrared emissions have large stimulated emission cross sections. Abstract: Novel Ga–Sb–S chalcogenide glasses doped with different amount of Dy 3+ ions were prepared. Their thermal stability, optical properties, and mid-infrared (MIR) emission properties were investigated. The glasses show good thermal stability, excellent infrared transparency, very low phonon energy (∼306 cm −1 ), and intense emissions centered at 2.95, 3.59, 4.17 and 4.40 μm. Three Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters (Ω2 = 8.51 × 10 −20 cm 2, Ω4 = 2.09 × 10 −20 cm 2, and Ω6 = 1.60 × 10 −20 cm 2 ) are obtained, and the related radiative transition properties are evaluated. The high quantum efficiencies and large stimulated emission cross sections of the MIR emissions (88.10% and 1.11 × 10 −20 cm 2 for 2.95 μm emission, 75.90% and 0.38 × 10 −20 cm 2 for 4.40 μm emission, respectively) in the Dy 3+ -doped Ga–Sb–S glasses make them promising gain materials for the MIR lasers.