Optical properties of Yb3+ ions in SiO2-Al2O3-CaF2 glasses

The absorption and emission properties of Yb(3+) doped oxy-fluoride-silicate glasses prepared by the melt-quenching method have been investigated. Yb(3+) ions in the oxy-fluoride-silicate glasses show large absorption and emission cross-section and the fluorescence lifetimes are longer than 1.3 ms. The minimum pumping intensity, minimum fraction of excited ions, saturation pumping intensity, minimum pulse duration and peak power are also analysed to characterize the samples. The minimum pulse duration and peak power are 79 fs and 0.432 PW cm(-2), which indicates the potential application in high power and ultrashort pulse lasers.