Luminescence behavior of Nd3+-activated soda-lime-borate glasses for solid-state lasers applications

In this work, Nd3+-activated soda-lime-borate (SLBNd) glasses are prepared in a composition (65-x) B:10CaO:25Na(2)O:xNd(2)O(3) (where x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mol%) by conventional melt-quenching technique, which is its novel study for laser application. The prepared samples are studied by absorption and near-infrared (NIR) luminescence emission spectra and decay-time analysis. The Judd-Ofelt (JO) intensity parameter, Omega(lambda) (lambda = 2,4, 6), and radiative properties of the F-4(3/2) level of Nd3+ ion are calculated from absorption spectra using JO theory. At 585-nm excitation wavelength, strong NIR emission, at 1.069 mu m, is observed corresponding to the F-4(3/2) -> I-4(11/2), for all glass samples. Decay constants are found to be decreasing with increasing Nd3+ concentration due to the energy transfer through cross-relaxation process. The stimulated-emission cross-section (cr(Xp), experimental branching ratio (beta(exp)), gain bandwidth, and quantum efficiency (eta) are measured as 4.0 x 10(-20) cm(2), 68%,1.48 x 10(-25) cm(3) and 65%, respectively. Presented results revealed that Nd3+-activated soda-lime-borate glasses could be useful for 1.06-mu m laser application. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.