Fluorescence properties of As2S3 glass doped with rare-earth elements

Abstract

Chalcogenide glasses doped with various rare-earth ions are extensively studied as potential materials for fiber optic amplifiers operating at 1.3 and 1.5 µm telecommunication windows. The experimental results on optical absorption and photoluminescence of arsenic sulfide glasses and optical fibers doped with rare-earth elements (Pr 3+ , Sm 3+ , Er 3+ and Dy 3+ ) are presented. Near the absorption edge the rare-earth impurities affect strongly the slope and the magnitude of the week absorption tail. Fluorescence spectra of bulk samples and optical fibers of arsenic sulfide doped with different concentrations of Pr 3+ and Dy 3+ indicate on the presence of luminescent band located around 1.3 and 1.5 µm. These bands correspond to the electron transitions from the discrete levels ( 6 F7/2→6H13/2 and 6 F5/2→6H11/2 for Dy 3+ and 1G4/1→3H6 and 3 F3→3H4 for Pr 3+ , respectively), and which confirmed the presence of trivalent rare-earth ions in the glass matrix. The observed effects of rare-earth dopants on the As2S3 glass are discussed in connection with the expected behavior of the impurities in the glass.