Glasses of heavy metal and gallium oxides doped with neodymium

Abstract

Optical and physical properties of a new family of Nd: BPG (Bi₂O₃-PbO-Ga₂O₃) glasses are presented at 1 mol% Nd doping level. Knoop hardness of 321 kg/mm² and density of 4.63 g/cm³ were measured. These high refractive index glasses present a very large absorption cross section of 2.5 × 10⁻²⁰ cm² at 800 nm. Emission occurs at three bands centered at 877 nm, 1066 nm and 1341 nm with a fluorescence lifetime associated to these transitions of 110 μs. At 1066 nm, the spectral linewidth is 30 nm. These properties make these glasses good candidates for laser action.

Key Words:

• Neodymium
• Heavy metal oxide
• Glasses
• Rare-earth