Non-radiative energy transfer from Er3+ ions to the electronic states of the chalcogenide glass matrix

Lifetime spectroscopy of the chalcogenide systems Ga-Ge-S:Er3+ and Ga-Ge-S-Se:Er3+ has shown that the nonradiative energy transfer from rare-earth ions to the electronic states of the chalcogenide matrix is important. Numerical calculations of transition probabilities (W-R, W-mph, W-CR) allowed estimation of the probability of the energy transfer to the chalcogenide matrix. It was found that when the optical bandgap of the matrix approaches the Er3+ level, the probability of such energy transfer process will increase as long as a complete resonance is not achieved. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.