Optical spectroscopy and excited state absorption of the ZAS (ZrO2-Al2O3-SiO2) glass doped with chromium

We describe the general spectroscopic characteristics of the zirconia-alumi no-silicate glass doped with chromium. The material displays all the featur es typical of trivalent chromium occupying weak field sites with spectral p roperties characteristic of the glass phase. In the excited state absorptio n (ESA) spectra features typical of chromium doped materials known from pre viously reported data are observed, although not all of them can be attribu ted to the Cr3+ ions. The ESA spectrum, partially overlapping the emission range, appears to preclude lasing in the range 11300-14400 cm(-1) but for t he energies lower than 11300 cm(-1) a net gain can occur. Based on absorpti on and emission data a sin configuration coordinate diagram is created whic h allows a predicted ESA spectrum to be compared with the experimental data . (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.