Enhancement of 1.53 μm emission band in NaYF4:Er3+,Yb3+,Ce3+ nanocrystals for polymer-based optical waveguide amplifiers

NaYF4:Er3+,Yb3+,Ce3+ nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized by using a solvothermal approach. Under the excitation of a 980 nm laser, the 1.53 mu m emission band of Er3+ ions in the NCs was enhanced by 6 times after codoping Ce3+ ions owing to the efficient energy transfer between Ce3+ and Er3+: I-4(11/2) (Er3+) + F-2(5/2) (Ce3+) -> I-4(13/2) (Er3+) + F-2(7/2) (Ce3+). By dispersing the NaYF4:Er3+,Yb3+,Ce3+ NCs into SU-8 2005 polymer matrix, we constructed Er3+-doped polymer-based optical waveguide amplifiers (EDPOWAs) and measured their performances. The measured optical gain of the EDPOWA doped with NaYF4: Er3+,Yb3+,Ce3+ NCs was enhanced by similar to 2dB in comparison with that doped with NaYF4:Er3+,Yb3+ NCs. These results showed that NaYF4:Er3+,Yb3+,Ce3+ NCs are promising candidates for building high gain EDPOWAs. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America