Er3+ laser transition in PbO–PbF2–B2O3 glasses

Results of absorption, emission and fluorescence lifetime measurements (for the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition) are presented for lead fluoroborate glasses doped with different concentrations of Er3+ varying from 0.22 × 1020 ions/cm3 to 5.96 × 1020 ions/cm3. The calculated Judd–Ofelt parameters are: Ω2 = (1.2 ± 0.1) × 10−20 cm2, Ω4 = (0.59 ± 0.04) × 10−20 and Ω6 = (0.42 ± 0.03) 10−20 cm2. The emission cross-sections are calculated using McCumber and Fuchtbauer–Ladenburg methods. The sample with 2.20 × 1020 ions/cm3 has an emission cross-section with maximum of 0.46 × 10−20 cm2, at 1532 nm, fluorescence effective bandwidth of 66 nm and fluorescence lifetime of about 1 ms.