1.6 mu m emission and gain properties of Ho3+ in selenide and chalcohalide glasses

Abstract

Spectroscopic properties and the gain of the 1.6 mu m emission in selenide and chalcohalide glasses doped with Ho3+ were investigated. Intense 1.6 mu m emission with high quantum efficiency was observed from both glasses. Tb3+ ions were codoped to depopulate the Ho3+:I-5(7) level and resulted in the population inversion between the I-5(5) and I-5(7) levels. Estimation of the gain coefficient indicated that a positive gain over the entire U-band window is possible in Ho3+/Tb3+-codoped selenide glasses. Selective energy transfer from the selenide host glass to the Ho3+:I-5(7) level resulted in a strong 2.0 mu m emission. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.