Upconversion mechanism in Er3+-doped fluorozirconate glasses under 800 nm excitation

The upconversion emission intensities of Er3+ ion around 550 and 660 nm in fluorozirconate glasses were measured under 800 nm excitation. Though energy transfer processes played an important role in upconversion mechanism at high concentration of ErF3, those have not been treated quantitatively. The energy transfer rates were calculated from the optical parameters assuming some distribution of Er3+ ions. We calculated the upconversion intensities around 550 and 660 nm by using rate equations. It was found that the dependence of upconversion emission intensities on the ErF3 concentration could be reproducible and the principal upconversion mechanism could be evaluated. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S00218979(99)06301- X].