Optical properties of Sm3+ ions in lithium borate and lithium fluoroborate glasses

Optical absorption, excitation, emission spectra and lifetimes are presented for Sm3+ ions in lithium borate and lithium fluoroborate glasses. Compositional dependence of Judd-Ofelt parameters has been evaluated and these parameters are used to predict radiative lifetimes (tau(R)) and branching ratios (beta(R)) for some excited (4)G(4)(7/2), (4)G(4)(5/2), F-6(11/2), F-6(9/2), F-6(1/2), H-6(13/2), H-6(11/2) and H-6(9/2) levels. The radiative properties have also been predicted for these excited levels of Sm3+ :borate, oxide, phosphate. fluoride and fluorophosphate glasses and Sm3+:Y3Al5O12 crystal. The values of electric (A(ed)) and magnetic (A(md)) dipole transition probabilities, tau(R) and beta(R) are presented for the above excited levels. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters have been used to predict oscillator strengths which are found to be useful to assign the closely spaced multiplets. The predicted values of tau(R) and beta(R) are compared with the experimental values for (4)G(4)(5/2) level to its lower levels. The stimulated emission cross-sections, sigma(lambda(p)), were also evaluated for (4)G(4)(5/2)-->H-6(3) transitions. The dependence of the optical properties due to compositional changes of the glasses rue discussed and compared with similar results. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.