Enhanced 1057 nm luminescence peak and radiative properties of laser pump Nd3+-doped sodium borate glasses

This paper presents a study on the spectroscopic and radiative properties of Nd3+ ions in sodium-borate glasses (B2O3-Na2O-PbO-ZnO-Li2O). The thermal behaviors of the sample glasses were observed using thermogravimetric analysis (DTA) and a −12% total mass changes was recorded during a thermal treatment from 75°C to 900°C. The Judd-Ofelt parameters (Ω2,4,6) have been computed from the experimental and theoretical oscillator strengths, as well as from the optical absorption spectra. Several important radiative properties such as radiative transition probability (AR), branching ratio (βR), emission cross section (σe) and fluorescence lifetime (τ) of the 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 transition have been obtained and compared with other glasses from previous studies. The calculations of emission cross section and quantum efficiency have shown that the 1.0 mol.% Nd3+-doped glass makes a good potential laser candidate at the 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 transition.