Nd 3+ doped multi-component phosphate glass multi-material fiber for a 1.05 μm laser

Nd3+ doped multi-component phosphate glass was prepared by the conventional melt-quenching method. The absorption spectrum, emission spectrum, and fluorescence lifetime of the prepared glass were measured. Based on the absorption spectrum, Judd-Ofelt (J-O) intensity parameters, spectroscopic quality factor, absorption and emission cross-sections, and figure of merit were calculated and analyzed. What is more, multi-material fibers with Nd3+ doped multi-component phosphate glass core and silicate glass cladding were successfully drawn by using the molten core method. The Nd3+ doping concentration reaches as high as 3.82 × 1020 ions/cm3 (3.86 wt.%). More importantly, 1.05 μm amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) was realized in a 4-cm-long as-drawn multi-material fiber when pumped by an 808 nm laser diode (LD). These results suggest that the Nd3+ doped multi-component phosphate glass multi-material fibers are promising gain material for 1.05 μm fiber laser applications.