Dependence of the fluorescence lifetime on dopant concentration and temperature in praseodymium-doped fluoride glass

The effects of temperature and concentration on the fluorescence lifetime o f the P-3(0) excited state in praseodymium-doped ZBLAN glass were studied. Above a critical dopant concentration, at which the lifetime exhibits no te mperature dependence, the fluorescence lifetime increases with increasing t emperature while below this concentration, the fluorescence lifetime decrea ses with increasing temperature. This critical concentration is determined to be 6900 +/- 220 ppm from measurements of the lifetime for varying temper atures and concentrations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.