NONDESTRUCTIVE CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENTS OF RARE-EARTH IONS IN DOPEDGLASSES

A non-destructive method for measurements of rare earth concentrations in doped glasses is presented. It is based on the comparison of the i ntensity of a luminescence signal from the rare earth ions with the in tensity of a Raman line from the host matrix, both measured in a singl e geometry. The analysis requires the use of a micro-Raman spectromete r. The investigations were performed in neodymium-doped phosphate glas ses (in the concentration range 0-8 wt%) and in praseodymium-doped flu oride glasses (in the concentration range 0-1 wt%). In standard use, t he relative error on the results does not exceed 10%. The method, punc tual (a few mum3) and highly sensitive, is better adapted for low conc entration measurements.