Broadband 1.53 μm emission in Er3+-doped Ga-Bi-Pb-Ge heavy metal oxide glasses

We investigated the thermal stability and spectroscopic properties of the 1.53 μm emission from 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition of Er3+ ions in Er3+/Yb3+-codoped Ga-Bi-Pb-Ge heavy metal oxide glass for use in broadband fiber amplifiers. It was noted that the addition of GeO2 effectively enhanced the thermal stability of the heavy metal oxide glass studied. The emission peak located at approximately 1530 nm with a full width at half-maximum of approximately 58 nm. The measured lifetime and the calculated emission cross-section of this transition were ∼3.2 ms and ∼10.3×10−21 cm2, respectively. As a result, Ga-Bi-Pb-Ge heavy metal oxide glasses were assumed to be potential host material for the 1.53 μm broadband optical fiber amplifiers.