Fluorescence properties in the visible of highly Pr3+ doped YAG planar waveguides

In this work we discuss fluorescence properties in the visible spectral range of YAG planar waveguides highly doped with praseodymium ions. The unique set of active waveguides with dopant concentrations ranging from 0.35 up to 6 at.% enabled the investigation of dopant concentration influence on fluorescence properties. Careful spectroscopic characterization was performed, comprising concentration-dependent fluorescence spectra and fluorescence dynamics profiles of P-3(0) and D-1(2) emission under direct, one-photon excitation. In the result, the cross-relaxation constants were determined and the main mechanisms yielding to fluorescence concentration quenching were preliminarily proposed. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.