Rare earth-doped barium gallo-germanate glasses and their near-infrared luminescence properties.

Near-infrared luminescence properties of Nd3+ and Ho3+ ions in barium gallo-germanate glasses have been reported. Several spectroscopic parameters for Nd3+ and Ho3+ ions have been determined from the Judd-Ofelt analysis and absorption/luminescence measurements. Quite large luminescence lifetime, quantum efficiency and stimulated emission cross-section have been obtained for the main 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 (Nd3+) and 5I7 → 5I8 (Ho3+) laser transitions of rare earths in barium gallo-germanate glasses. It suggests that barium gallo-germanate glass is promising for near-infrared laser application at emission wavelengths 1064 nm (Nd3+) and 2020 nm (Ho3+).