Optical Characterization of Rare Earth Doped Glasses
Date
2009Author
Soundararajan, Gokulakrishnan
Type
ThesisDegree Level
MastersMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Optical amplifiers are highly sought-after in optical communications to power boost light signals carrying information. Rare Earth doped glasses have been the medium of choice for optical amplification. It is, therefore, essential to understand the interaction of light with potential host glasses for rare-earths before they could be proposed as suitable candidates. In this research, we have optically characterized three different rare earth doped bulk glasses. The glass samples investigated were Neodymium doped Gallium Lanthanum Sulfide (GLS:Nd), Erbium doped Germanium Gallium Sulfide (GeGaS:Er) and Erbium doped Fluorochlorozirconate (FCZ:Er). The transmission spectra, T(λ), was used in identifying the absorption transitions of rare earth ions from the ground level to the various excited levels and in obtaining the optical absorption coefficient, α(λ). This in turn was used in determining the Judd-Ofelt parameters, which were then used in obtaining radiative lifetimes of the energy levels of interest. Photoluminescence emission bands were also identified and their shapes were investigated. Finally, a comparison of the Judd-Ofelt lifetime with the experimental decay time was also done. From which, the major decay mechanism of the rare earth ions from the energy level under investigation was concluded.
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)Department
Electrical EngineeringProgram
Electrical EngineeringSupervisor
Kasap, SafaCommittee
Dinh, Ann; Bourassa, Adam; Johanson, RobertCopyright Date
2009Subject
Photoluminescence
Emission
Chalcogenide Glasses
Absorption
Erbium
Neodymium
Fluorochlorozirconate Glass