FLUORESCENCE DECAY-TIME CHARACTERISTICS OF ERBIUM-DOPED OPTICAL-FIBERAT ELEVATED-TEMPERATURES

An investigation of lifetime characteristics of fluorescence, over the wavelength region similar to 1.5 mu m from pumped Er-doped fibers of various activator concentrations, at temperatures up to similar to 950 degrees C, has been carried out and a significant variation of fluore scence lifetimes with temperature was seen. The results have an impact upon the use of laser or stimulated emission processes at much higher temperatures and for Lifetime-based, fiber-optic temperature sensors, showing a very favorable characteristic for such latter applications. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.