Frequency upconversion in a Pr3+ doped chalcogenide glass containing silver nanoparticles

We report on orange-to-blue frequency upconversion (UC) in Pr3+ doped chalcogenide glass (Ga10Ge25S65) doped with Ag2S and heat treated under different conditions to nucleate silver nanoparticles (NPs). The experiments were performed using 7 ns pulses from a dye laser that operates at similar to 590 nm, in resonance with the H-3(4)-> D-1(2) transition of Pr3+ ions. The enhancement observed in the UC emission at similar to 494 nm, ascribed as P-3(0)-> H-3(4) transition of the Pr3+ ion, is attributed to the large local field acting on the emitting ions due to the presence of the metallic NPs. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.