Nonlinear luminescence quenching in erbium glasses

A new experimental method is used to investigate the processes of nonlinear upconversion quenching in Er3+-doped silicate glasses. The method is based on measuring the luminescence quantum efficiency at 1.54 μm and the population of the metastable 413/24 state as functions of pump power. The upconversion coefficient (Cup) is shown to increase with erbium concentration. Simulation of the quenching process by the Monte Carlo method reveals that the migration of excitations among the erbium ions strongly increases the upconversion efficiency. It is concluded that the experimentally-discovered increase in Cup is caused by the migration of excitations. © 2000 The Optical Society of America.