Superbroadband near-IR emission from praseodymium-doped bismuth gallate glasses

Superbroadband near-infrared (NIR) emission covering 1250 to 1680nm wavelength has been obtained in praseodymium (Pr³+) singly doped bismuth gallate glasses. The emission originates from the¹G ₄ ³H₅ and ¹D₂ ¹G₄ transitions at 1330 and 1490nm wavelengths, respectively, and is due to the extremely low phonon energy (∼690cm ^-1) and the unique ligand field of the glasses. It is shown that the emission line shape can be modified by adjusting the Pr³+ concentration and the energy transfers involved. The results confirm that other than bismuth (Bi), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and other chemical elements, Pr³+ singly doped system is a promising alternative in achieving superbroadband NIR emission.