B I Galagan

Chalcogenide glasses doped with Tb, Dy and Pr ions

Abstract Optically homogeneous As–Se and As–S–Se glasses doped with the ions of rare-earth elements (REE), i.e. praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium up to 9000 wt. ppm were synthesized. A technique for introduction of REE into chalcogenide glasses (CG) is based on solidification of the melt of glass-forming compounds with the dopants of REE iodide and the time–temperature modes minimizing glass crystallization and dopant clustering. Microhomogeneity and absorption of the produced samples of the doped glasses were studied in the middle IR range. A spectral dependence of absorption by REE ions was investigated and the extinction coefficients were determined for the most intensive absorption bands of the ions of praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium. Luminescence properties of CG doped with Tb3+ were investigated at 4–5 μm. The optical fibers based on arsenic selenide doped with terbium were manufactured with optical losses of 1.5 dB/m at 6–9 μm and a bending strength of 0.6 GPa.

Laser performance of Yb:GdCa4O(BO3)3 compared to Yb:KGd(WO4)2 under diode-bar pumping

A study of Yb:GdCOB under diode-bar pumping has been performed and the results are compared, experimentally and theoretically, with Yb:KGW in the same cavity. An output power of 7.3 W and a slope efficiency of 57.4% were obtained. Self-frequency-doubling experiments are also discussed.

The IR emitting centers in Bi-doped Mg-Al-Si oxide glasses

The properties of IR emission centers are investigated in Bi-doped Mg-Al-silicate glasses having moderate melting temperatures to be fabricated by routine melting in alumina crucibles. The quadratic concentration dependence of absorption in the visible range indicates that the considered optical centers can be Bi2 dimers forming in a balanced chemical reaction in the glass melt. Their formation enthalpy is evaluated from their concentration variations with the synthesis temperature. The high (up to 85% at low concentrations) luminescence quantum yield and wide emission spectrum makes this glass a promising material for tunable lasers.

Activation of color centers in bismuth glass by femtosecond laser radiation

The activation of color centers in the bismuth aluminum-boron-phosphate glass by high-intensity femtosecond laser radiation is experimentally studied. The dynamics of the laser-induced emitting centers in the bulk of sample is characterized. The photoactivation of bismuth glasses is possibly related to the recharging of structural precursors, which serve as effective electron traps and whose possible configuration is discusses. The effect of the femtosecond irradiation involves the initiation of the nonlinear ionization of the glass matrix and the generation of plasma with the concentration of carriers that is sufficiently high to provide almost complete recharging of precursors over several laser pulses.

Alternative ways to form IR luminescence centers in bi-doped glass

It was shown that identical Bi-associated emission centers can be formed in aluminophosphate glass either by high-temperature melting or by γ-irradiation. Some conclusions on the structure of the nearinfrared emission centers were made. 1 The article is published in the original.

High-beam quality, high-efficiency laser based on fiber with heavily Yb(3+)-doped phosphate core and silica cladding.

We have fabricated and tested a composite fiber with an Yb(3+)-doped phosphate glass core and silica cladding. Oscillation with a slope efficiency of 74% was achieved using core pumping at 976 nm with fiber lengths of 48-90 mm in a simple laser configuration, where the cavity was formed by a high-reflectivity Bragg grating and the cleaved fiber end. The measured M(2) factors were as low as 1.05-1.22 even though the fiber was multimode at the lasing wavelength.

Co2+:MgAl2O4 crystal passive Q-switch performance at 1.34, 1.44, and 1.54 μm

Passive Q-Switch characteristics of Co2+:MgAl2O3 sample were evaluated in a diode pumped QX/Er Erbium glass laser at 1535 nm, a flashlamp pumped Nd:YAG laser at 1.44 micrometers and Nd3+:KGd(WO4)2 laser at 1.34 micrometers .

Synthesis and luminescence of fluorochloride glasses activated by Er3

Fluorochloride glasses activated by Er3+ and glass ceramics of 57HfF4 · 20BaCl2 · 3LaF3 · 3InF3 · 17NaF composition were synthesized. For the given glasses, Er3+ luminescence in the region of 1.55 μm was studied in comparison with fluoride glasses and glass ceramics of similar composition.

Precise measurement of refractive index spectral dependence of optical materials for laser, fiber, and integrated optics

An interferometric technique for measuring the spectral dependence of the refractive index of solid-state materials to an accuracy of 10−5 over the entire transparency region is described. The possibilities of the technique are demonstrated by the example of new phosphate glasses formulated for laser and fiber optics. It is shown that, in the presence of absorption bands in the transmission spectrum, the technique allows their associated jumps in the refractive index values to be recorded on the order of 10−4−10−5 and below. The shift in the spectral dependence of the refractive index in the region of the absorption band with intensity at 1.7 cm−1 is measured for the first time.

GeO2 influence on the formation of near-infrared emitting centers in Bi-doped multicomponent silicate glasses

A meaningful increase in the number of NIR emission centers was experimentally observed in bismuth-doped multicomponent silicate glasses additionally doped with germanium dioxide. The emission and excitation spectra of the glass sets were monitored and compared with the spectra of radiative oxygen-deficient centers in vitreous silica and germania.