Spectroscopic characterization of alkali modified zinc-tellurite glasses doped with neodymium.

Neodymium doped zinc-tellurite glasses of composition TeO(2)-ZnO-Na(2)O-Li(2)O have been prepared and characterized for their thermal, structural and optical properties. Differential thermal analysis revealed reasonably good forming tendency of the glass composition. FTIR spectra were used to analyze the functional groups present in the glass. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters were derived from the absorption spectrum and used to calculate the radiative lifetime, branching ratio and stimulated emission cross-section for (4)F(3/2)-->(4)I(9/2, 11/2, 13/2) transitions. The quantum efficiency of the (4)F(3/2) level is comparable to the typical values obtained for the Nd(2)O(3)-doped glasses. The decay properties for higher concentration of Nd(2)O(3) were analyzed using Inokuti-Hirayama model to investigate the non-radiative relaxation of the (4)F(3/2) emitting level. The experimental values of branching ratio and saturation intensity of (4)F(3/2)-->(4)I(11/2) transition and calculated spectroscopic quality factor indicate the favourable lasing action in these glasses.