Spectral properties of Yb3+-doped silicate and phosphate laser glass

The Yb3+-doped silicate glass and the phosphate laser glass were prepared using the conventional melt quenching technology. And the physical and spectral properties of the glasses were investigated. The results show that the stimulated emission cross section (σetni) and the fluorescence lifetime (τf) for the Yb3+-doped silicate and phosphate laser glass are 0.67 × 10-20 cm2 and 1.2 ms, 0.75 × 10-20 cm2 and 1.0 ms respectively. The σetni &middot τf value of the Yb3+-doped silicate glass is larger than that of the Yb3+-doped phosphate glass, which indicates the former has better laser properties than the latter; the thermal expansion coefficient of the Yb3+-doped silicate glass is lower than that of the Yb3+-doped phosphate laser glass, but the non-linear refractive index of the former is higher than that of the latter.