Fluorescence enhancement of oxide fluoride glass co-doped with TbF3 and SmF3

The fluorescence property of xTbF3–BaF2–AlF3–GeO2+ySmF3 (x=0.01–40 mol%, y=0–5 wt%) glasses were investigated. The enhancement of Sm3+ fluorescence was recognized in the presence of Tb3+. Increasing Tb3+ content, the emission color changed from green to orange. When the intensity of fluorescence at 540 nm originated from Tb3+ is compared with that at 600 nm originated from Sm3+, the information about the concentration quenching of Tb3+ and Sm3+ was obtained. From these results, rare earth ions were dispersed identically in the glasses. After heating to 673 K or cooling to 77 K, the emission color of 20TbF3–20BaF2–10AlF3–50GeO2/mol%+0.05 wt% SmF3 glass was reversibly changed from orange to green. In addition, while the emission from 10TbF3–20BaF2–10AlF3–60GeO2+0.01 wt% SmF3 glass was green, its crystallized sample, prepared by annealing at 1073 K, exhibited an orange emission due to Sm3+ at room temperature.