Radiative parameters for multi-channel visible and near-infrared emission transitions of Sm3+ in heavy-metal-silicate glasses

Multi-channel visible and near-infrared (NIR) emission transitions originating from (4)G(5/2) emitting state of Sm3+ in cadmium-aluminum-silicate (CAS) glasses with maximum-phonon-energy of similar to 980 cm(-1) have been investigated. Based on the measured absorption spectrum, the Judd-Ofelt parameters Omega(t) (t=2, 4, 6) are derived to be 2.87 x 10(-20), 3.34 x 10(-20) and 1.86 x 10(-20) cm(2), respectively. From the evaluated Judd-Ofelt parameters, the radiative parameters such as spontaneous emission probabilities (A(rad)), branching ratios (beta), and radiative lifetime (tau(rad)) are obtained from the (4)G(5/2) excited level to different lower energy levels. The efficient visible and NIR transition emissions have been observed in the Sm3+ doped CAS glasses, and the maximum stimulated emission cross-sections (sigma(e-max)) corresponding to emission peaks are calculated and demonstrated to lay in the same order of magnitude. The quantum efficiency of (4)G(5/2) level of Sm3+ has been derived to be 60%. Investigations on multi-channel radiative transition emissions originated from (4)G(5/2) level of Sm3+ in CAS glasses expose its potential applications in tunable laser, medical light source and NIR optoelectronic devices. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.