PR3+-DOPED FLUORIDE GLASSES

Fluoride-based glasses are potential host materials for fiber lasers, amplifiers and solid state three-dimensional (3D) displays. Fluorozirc onate (ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3-NaF), fluoride phosphate (AlF3-SrF2-CaF2-Mg F2-P2O5) and fluoroindate (InF3-ZnF2-BaF2-GaF3-PbF2-REF(3)-SrF2-NaF-Ca F2) glasses were investigated in terms of their absorption and crystal lization properties to compare their potential to be used as optical d evices. Phonon sideband (PSB) measurements were employed to determine the local vibration behavior of the rare earth (RE) ion sites. A modif ied Judd-Ofelt treatment allows the description of transition probabil ities between Pr3+ energy levels, including error estimates for the fi tted parameters Omega(t). In the investigated fluoroindate glasses mel ted in vitreous carbon crucibles using a reactive atmosphere, processi ng fanlike crystals composed of Sr and RE fluorides caused manufacturi ng problems.