Low-energy robust host heavily doped with Dy3+ for emission at 1.3 to 1.4 μm

A transparent, heavily Dy3+-doped oxyfluoride nano-glass-ceramic, 32(SiO2)9(AlO1.5)31.5(CdF2)18.5(PbF2) 5.5(ZnF2):3.5(DyF3) (mol%), has been fabricated, where the Dy3+ dopants dissolve mostly in the 8 run diameter beta-PbF2-type nanocrystals. We propose the chemical composition of this Dy3+-doped PbF2-type crystalline nanophase is of tveitite type and approaches Pb3DyF9. The low vibration energy of the Dy3+ site results in an intense emission band H-6(9/2),F-6(11/2) -> F-6(15/2) of Dy3+, centered at about 1.35 mu m with a 120 nm half-height width and a 150 mu s lifetime with negligible temperature dependence. This emission band has a potential application as a broad-band short-length optical amplifier operating in the extended telecommunications window at about 1.3 to 1.4 mu m. (c) 2007 WILEY-VNCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.