LUMINESCENCE PROPERTIES OF ND3+ IN MIXED ALKALI FLUORIDE GLASSES

Three indium trifluoride based neodymium glasses (abbreviated as A, B and C) with the mixed dual alkali fluorides as network modifiers have been newly prepared to characterize their absorption and photoluminescence spectra, both at room and liquid nitrogen temperature. By performing a least squares fit analysis, the Judd-Ofelt parameters and the spectroscopic quality factor (OMEGA-4/OMEGA-6) have been computed from the absorption levels. The Judd-Ofelt parameters (OMEGA-lambda) have been used to derive the radiative properties of these glasses in the determination of the predicted radiative lifetime of the measured excited state. The recorded low temperature photoluminescence spectra have revealed an intense emission peak 4F3/2 --> 4I11/2 at lambda = 1.05-mu-m and for this level, the lifetime has been measured by the use of an Ar+ ion laser. The fluorescence characteristics of these mixed alkali fluoride glasses have been compared with the results obtained on the Nd-glasses possessing the individual alkali fluorides as the modifiers.