Mid Sweden University

A structural investigation of a synthesized precursor in a silica glass matrix is performed. Silica soot samples are doped with the heterobimetallic precursor ErNb2(OPri)13 by using a conventional solution doping technique and heat treatments to different temperatures. The precursor has also been introduced into a silica fiber preform by using the modified chemical vapor deposition technique. Analyses are made by using ultraviolet–visible–near infrared absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. It is concluded that an immiscible system of ErNbO4 crystallites and Nb2O5 is formed in the silica soot samples at high temperatures. Colloidal particles of ErNbO4 are also formed in the silica glass fiber preform showing interesting features.

A broad visible luminescence band and characteristic IR luminescence of Yb3+ ions are observed under UV excitation in ytterbium-doped aluminosilicate glass. Samples made under both oxidizing and reducing conditions are analyzed. A strong charge-transfer absorption band in the UV range is observed for glass samples containing ytterbium. Additional absorption bands are observed for the sample made under reducing conditions, which are associated with f�d transitions of divalent ytterbium. The visible luminescence band is attributed to 5d�4f emission from Yb2+ ions, and the IR luminescence is concluded to originate from a relaxed charge-transfer transition. The findings are important to explain induced optical losses (photodarkening) in high-power fiber lasers.

Photodarkening experiments are performed on ytterbium-doped silicate glass

samples. A strong charge-transfer (CT) absorption band near 230nm in

aluminosilicate glass is found to be correlated to the mechanism of induced

color center formation. Excitation into the CT-absorption band generates

similar color centers as observed in ytterbium-doped fiber lasers under

915nm high power diode pumping. The position of the CT-absorption band is

compositional dependent and is shifted to shorter wavelengths in ytterbium

doped phosphosilicate glass. Very low levels of photodarkening is observed

for the ytterbium doped phosphosilicate glass composition under 915nm high

power diode pumping. Possible excitation routes to reach the CT-absorption

band under 915nm pumping are discussed.

We present some strong evidence against the assignment of an ytterbium-related oxygen deficiency center (ODC) near 230 nm in Yb-doped aluminosilicate glass in the Letter by Yoo

A strong charge-transfer band at UV-wavelengths is found to play a major role for the observed induced optical losses (photodarkening) in ytterbium doped high-power fiber lasers. This is correlated to the valence stability of the ytterbium ion in the silicate glass matrix, which we believe is the origin of photodarkening. We have performed UV-irradiation experiments on ytterbium-doped preform samples and accelerated photodarkening experiments on Yb-doped fibers, by using 915nm high power diodes. Our results show that photodarkening can be reduced, to low levels, either by preparing the preform glass in a reducing atmosphere or by hydrogen loading the fiber in a pressure chamber at room temperature.