Dy³⁺‐Doped Selenide Chalcogenide Glasses: Influence of Dy³⁺ Dopant‐Additive and Containment

Abstract

This work reports on process-induced impurities in rare-earth ion: Dy 3+ -doped selenide chalcogenide glasses, which are significant materials for active photonic devices in the mid-infrared region. In particular, the effect of contamination from the silica glass ampoule containment used in chalcogenide glass synthesis is studied. Heat-treating Dy-foil-only, and DyCl 3only, separately, within evacuated silica glass ampoules gives direct evidence of silica ampoule corrosion by the rare-earth additives. The presence of [Ga 2 Se 3 ] associated with [Dy] on the silica glass ampoule that has been contact with the chalcogenide glass during glass melting, is reported for the first time. Studies of 0-3000 ppmw Dy 3+ -doped Ge 16.5 As 9 Ga 10 Se 64.5 glasses show that Dy-foil is better than DyCl 3 as the Dy 3+ additive in Ge-As-Ga-Se glass in aspects of avoiding bulk crystallization, improving glass surface quality and lowering optical loss. However, some limited Dy/Si/O related contamination is observed on the surfaces of Dy-foil-doped chalcogenide glasses, as found for DyCl 3 -doped chalcogenide glasses, reported in our previous work. The surface contamination indicates the production of Dy 2 O 3 and/or [Si-O-Dy=]-containing particles during chalcogenide glass melting, which are potential light-scattering centers in chalcogenide bulk glass and heterogeneous nucleation agents for a-Ga 2 Se 3 crystals.

Low gallium‐content, dysprosium III‐doped, Ge–As–Ga–Se chalcogenide glasses for active mid‐infrared fiber optics

“…The presence of crystals and optical loss‐inducing impurities inside chalcogenide glass fiber are always a potential problem which must be faced in real fiber fabrication. RE clustering and crystallization studies of RE‐doped chalcogenide glasses have been presented by Aitken, Lezal, and in our previous work …”

“…The chalcogenide remelt, in situ in the ampoule, was quenched in a liquid metal‐alloy pot (Seba Developments Ltd., Keighley, UK) to 210°C for the As 9 glass and 185°C for the other glasses, and placed in the vertical resistance furnace and experienced the same cooling schedule as for the host glass. The two‐step melting procedure was in effort to reduce impurities due to silica ampoule corrosion by the RE …”

“…Furthermore, it should be noted that, among the different chalcogenide glass systems, Ge–As–Ga–Se glass has been proposed as an attractive candidate RE host for MIR fiber lasers, having sufficiently low phonon energy to exhibit lasing up to 8 μm wavelength . The crystallization behavior, bulk glass properties, and fiber characterization of RE‐doped Ge–As–Ga–Se glasses have been presented in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, the glass stability and properties of RE‐doped Ge–As–Ga–Se chalcogenide glasses with a fixed Ga content <3 at.…”

Effect of glass composition on the physical properties and luminescence of Pr3+ ion‐doped chalcogenide glasses

“…[1][2][3][4] MIR light sources play a vital role in many applications, including biomedical sensing, environmental monitoring, and quality monitoring; thus, these sources have grown rapidly in recent years. [1][2][3][4] MIR light sources play a vital role in many applications, including biomedical sensing, environmental monitoring, and quality monitoring; thus, these sources have grown rapidly in recent years.…”

“…Mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum covers an important atmospheric window in the wavelength range of 3-5 μm, and the resonant oscillation frequency of many molecular bonds falls within the MIR wavelength range. [1][2][3][4] MIR light sources play a vital role in many applications, including biomedical sensing, environmental monitoring, and quality monitoring; thus, these sources have grown rapidly in recent years. [5][6][7][8][9] In addition, the new MIR wavelength is also meaningful for laser processing and material welding, such as human tissue cutting and welding, neurosurgery, and dermatology.…”