Enhancement of (Er3+I13/2)-I-4 population in Y2O3 by energy transfer to Ce3+

We report measurements of the energy transfer between Er3+ and Ce3+ in Y2O3 . The transition between the Er3+ I-4(11/2) and I-4(13/2) excited states ca n be stimulated by energy transfer to Ce3+, augmenting the population in th e (4)It(13/2) state at the expense of that in the I-4(11/2) state. Experime nts were performed on Y2O3 planar waveguides doped with 0.2 at.% erbium and 0-0.42 at.% cerium by ion implantation. From measurements of Er3- decay ra tes as a function of cerium concentration we derive an energy transfer rate constant of 1.3 x 10(-18) cm(3)/s. The efficiency of the energy transfer a mounts to 0.47 at 0.42 at.% cerium. The energy transfer rate constant measu red in Y2O3 is two times smaller for Er3---> Ce3+ than that for Er3---> Eu3 + in the same material. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.