Erbium doped phospho-tellurite glasses for 1.5 μm optical amplifiers

Erbium doped phospho-tellurite glasses with the alkali ions sodium and lithium is made and their optical and physical properties are studied. Glasses with high glass transition temperature and phonon energy which are suitable for fabrication of integrated optical amplifiers and lasers is obtained. From the optical absorption spectra the Judd-Ofelt parameters (Omega(t)) and their radiative lifetimes are calculated. Absorption and emission cross-section spectra of the glasses for the transitions between I-4(13/2) and I-4(15/2) levels are reported. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.