Influence of Si-Al-Ge-Sb Matricies on Tm3+ Excitation Levels
Absorption and fluorescence spectra in the range from 350 to 1750 nm of several Tm3+- doped optical performs (rods) for optical fiber drawing were measured. Silica-based matrices of Al2O3-GeO2-P2O5-Sb2O3-SiO2 composition doped with several thousands ppm of Tm3+ were characterized. The preforms were fabricated by the Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition and by the solution doping methods. A new method, Genetic Algorithm SPEctra Decomposition was adopted for processing of the measured absorption spectra. This decomposition made it possible to calculate the oscillator strengths of Tm3+ absorption levels. Fluorescence bands of Tm3+ at 800 nm or 1640 nm were found in fluorescence spectra measured on the preform samples when excited at 1064 nm only.