Energy transfer and energy level decay processes in Tm{sup 3+}-doped tellurite glass
The primary excited state decay and energy transfer processes in singly Tm{sup 3+}-doped TeO{sub 2}:ZnO:Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}:GeO{sub 2} (TZBG) glass relating to the {sup 3}F{sub 4}{yields}{sup 3}H{sub 6}{approx}1.85 {mu}m laser transition have been investigated in detail using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Selective laser excitation of the {sup 3}H{sub 4} manifold at 794 nm, the {sup 3}H{sub 5} manifold at 1220 nm, and {sup 3}F{sub 4} manifold at 1760 nm has established that the {sup 3}H{sub 5} manifold is entirely quenched by multiphonon relaxation in tellurite glass. The luminescence from the {sup 3}H{sub 4} manifold with an emission peak at 1465 nm suffers strong suppression due to cross relaxation that populates the {sup 3}F{sub 4} level with a near quadratic dependence on the Tm{sup 3+} concentration. The {sup 3}F{sub 4} lifetime becomes longer as the Tm{sup 3+} concentration increases due to energy migration and decreases to 2.92 ms when [Tm{sup 3+}] = 4 mol. % as a result of quasi-resonant energy transfer to free OH{sup -} radicals present in the glass at concentrations between 1 x 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3} and 2 x 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3}. Judd-Ofelt theory in conjunction with absorption measurements were used to obtain the radiative lifetimes and branching ratios of the energy levels located below 25 000 cm{sup -1}. The spectroscopic parameters, the cross relaxation and Tm{sup 3+}({sup 3}F{sub 4}) {yields} OH{sup -} energy transfer rates were used in a numerical model for laser transitions emitting at 2335 nm and 1865 nm.