Broadband 2.9 μm emission and high energy transfer efficiency in Er3+/Dy3+ co-doped fluoroaluminate glass

2.9 mu m fluorescence properties and energy transfer mechanism in our prepared Er3+/Dy3+ co-doped fluoroaluminate glass (AYFT) have been investigated in this paper. As far as we know, it is the first time to report a broadband emission extending from 2500 to 3100 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 270 nm obtained in Er3+/Dy3+ co-doped fluoroaluminate glass under 980 nm pump. The large spontaneous transition probability (59.46 s(-1)) calculated based on the Judd-Ofelt theory indicates the intensive Dy3+: H-6(13/2) -> H-6(15/2) transition which has happened to coincide with the emission spectra. Moreover, the high energy transfer efficiencies of Er3+: I-4(13/2) to Dy3+: H-6(11/2) (903%) and Er3+: to Dy3+: H-6(5/2) (85.1%) further confirmed the efficient population inversion of Dy3+: 2.9 gm emission. This present work suggests that Er3+/Dy3+ co-doped fluoroaluminate glass can be a potential candidate for mid-infrared broadband integrated amplifier. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.