Downconversion in Pr3+–Yb3+ co-doped ZBLA fluoride glasses

Abstract Fluorozirconate ZBLA glasses with molar composition 57ZrF 4 –34BaF 2 –5LaF 3 –4AlF 3 –0.5PrF 3 – x YbF 3 (from x =0 to 10) were synthesized to evaluate the rate of the conversion of visible photons into infrared photons. The emission spectra in the near infrared (NIR) at 950–1100 nm and the luminescence decays in the visible and NIR indicate an energy transfer from Pr 3+ to Yb 3+ upon blue excitation of Pr 3+ at 440 nm. The energy transfer efficiency increases with Yb 3+ concentration to reach 86% with 0.5Pr 3+ –10Yb 3+ co-doping (in mol%). However, the quenching of the Yb 3+ emission strongly reduces the efficiency of the downconversion process: the decay time values decrease from 600 µs ( x =0.5 mol%) to 85 µs ( x =10 mol%).