Optical and luminescence studies of Pr3+ and Er3+ doped different phosphate glasses

Optical absorption and emission spectra of Pr3+ and Er3+ doped different chlorophosphate glasses have been studied. Optical properties of these two rare earth ions were characterized through optical absorption and emission spectra using Judd-Ofelt theory. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Omega(lambda) (lambda=2, 4 and 6) are calculated for both the ions from their absorption spectra, which in turn used to derive the radiative properties such as radiative transition probabilities (A(T)), radiative lifetimes (tau(R)), branching ratios (beta) and integrated absorption cross-sections (Sigma). An attempt has been made to discuss structural changes considering the hypersensitive transitions and covalency of rare earth oxygen (RE-O) bonds for the present glass systems. From emission spectra, peak emission cross-sections (sigma(P))are obtained for the observed emission bands of Pr3+ and Er3+ ions in all these chlorophosphate glasses. Variation of peak emission cross-sections with the glass matrix has been studied. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.