Highly Er(3+)-doped ZrF4-based fluoride glasses for 2.7 μm laser materials.

A new type of fluoride glasses with high erbium-doping concentration (up to 6 mol. % Er(3+)) is investigated. The intensive 2.7 μm fluorescence is demonstrated with minimized concentration quenching. The intensity parameters and radiative properties are determined from the absorption spectrum based on the Judd-Ofelt theory. The prepared Er(3+)-doped ZBYA glass possesses high predicted spontaneous-transition probability (28.92 s(-1)) and large calculated emission cross section (9.8×10(-21) cm(2)). All these results indicate that this Er(3+)-doped ZrF(4)-based fluoride glass has potential applications in 2.7 μm laser materials.