SELF-CALIBRATING QUANTUM EFFICIENCY MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE AND APPLICATION TO PR3-DOPED SULFIDE GLASS()

A measurement technique is described in which the radiative quantum ef ficiency of certain transitions in rare-earth-doped glasses can be det ermined based only on relative fluorescence measurements. We calibrate the emission from the level of interest by measuring emission into th at level from a higher excited level. Application of the technique to Pr3+-doped sulfide glasses yields quantum efficiencies for the (1)G(4) --> H-3(5) transition as high as 60%, in good agreement with measurem ents using the integrating sphere technique. Calculated efficiency val ues based on the Judd-Ofelt technique are shown to be subject to inher ent uncertainties. (C) 1995 Optical Society of America