Tm super(3+) doped lead silicate glass single mode fibers for 2.0 [mu]m laser applications

Tm super(3+) doped lead silicate glasses with good thermal stability were prepared by the melt-quenching method. Based on the absorption and emission spectra, Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters, absorption and emission cross sections, gain spectra, and [sigma] sub(e) x FWHM were calculated and analyzed. These results suggest that Tm super(3+) doped lead silicate glasses are promising as mid-infrared laser materials. Tm super(3+) doped lead silicate glass single mode (SM) fibers with cladding diameter of 125 [mu]m and core diameter of 8.5 [mu]m were then fabricated by the rod-in-tube technique. The Tm super(3+) doping concentration reached as high as 4.545 x 10 super(20) ions/cm super(3). ~2.0 [mu]m amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) was realized in a 3.5-cm-long as-drawn SM fiber when pumped by a homemade single mode 1560 nm fiber laser. The results indicate that these Tm super(3+) doped lead silicate glass single mode fibers are promising fiber material for 2.0 [mu]m fiber laser applications.