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1. Introduction
The rapid advancement of computer networks and the exponential growth in data traffic necessitate
the development of efficient and high-capacity optical communication technologies. Wave division
multiplexing (WDM) systems have proven to be effective in expanding communication capacity
[1,2]. However, the limited bandwidth of optical amplifiers quickly saturates the transmission
capacity. Traditional rare earth fiber amplifiers (RDFAs) suffer from a narrow f-f electron energy
level transition, resulting in a gain bandwidth of less than 100 nm. Furthermore, the conventional
erbium-doped optical amplifier (EDFA) primarily operates within the C + L band and fails to
meet the demands of high-speed and high-capacity communication [3,4]. Consequently, the
pursuit of novel gain materials and amplification devices with wide bandwidth and high gain
has become a prominent research area [5–8]. In 2001, Fujimoto and Nakatsuka made a seminal
discovery regarding the ultra-wideband radiation phenomenon in bismuth-doped oxide materials.
They successfully demonstrated fluorescence at 1250 nm with an extraordinary bandwidth of
300 nm [9]. Since then, such materials have garnered significant recognition as highly promising
candidates for near-infrared fluorescence applications.
#503498 https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.503498
Journal © 2023 Received 24 Aug 2023; revised 25 Oct 2023; accepted 13 Nov 2023; published 28 Nov 2023
Research Article Vol. 31, No. 25 / 4 Dec 2023 / Optics Express 41784
In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in the investigation of bismuth-doped
materials exhibiting near-infrared (NIR) luminescence. Extensive research efforts have been
devoted to exploring the potential of bismuth-doped optical fiber amplification devices [10–12],
thin film materials [13], and glasses infused with various dopants [14–18], particularly in relation
to their luminescent properties. The electronic configuration of a bismuth atom is denoted as
[Xe]4f14 5d10 6s2 6p3 . Notably, the presence of partially filled outer electron shells renders the
outer electrons highly active, resulting in profound sensitivity of bismuth atoms to the surrounding
host material as well as the facile formation of ions with diverse valence states, such as Bi°
[15,16], Bi + [15–18], Bi2 + [19], Bi3 + [20] and Bi5 + [21]. In a comprehensive review by E.M.
Dianov, it was documented that distinct fluorescence bands in the NIR region were exhibited
by bismuth ions with varying valencies during stimulated emission [18]. Given the coexistence
of multiple valence states, each contributing to different excited radiation bands, the collective
effect leads to a broadening of the gain bandwidth. Hence, optimizing the composition system of
bismuth-doped glasses and carefully controlling the distribution of ions with differing valence
states hold paramount significance in advancing the development of NIR devices incorporating
bismuth-doped materials.
Qiu et al. [15] investigated the luminescence mechanism in bismuth-doped germanium
aluminum-silicate glass under different excitation conditions. They observed a fluorescence
lifetime of 473 µs when excited at 808 nm, and a fluorescence lifetime of 806 µs when excited at
980 nm. The authors attributed the luminescence of bismuth to the energy level transition of Bi+
and Bi° ions. Similarly, Meng et al. [17] explored the NIR broadband emission characteristics of
bismuth-doped aluminum phosphate glass. Upon excitation with lasers at 405, 514, and 808 nm,
three distinct infrared emission peaks were observed at wavelengths of 1210, 1173, and 1300 nm,
respectively, with corresponding FWHM values of 235, 207, and 300 nm. The fluorescence
lifetime was estimated to be 500 µs. It was postulated that the near-infrared luminescence in
bismuth originates from energy level transitions between the 3 P1 to 3 P0 in Bi+ ion. While
previous studies have confirmed the broadband luminescence of bismuth, achieving long lifetime
and high intensity fluorescence through high doping has remained a challenge due to the inherent
instability of the atomic structure.
To address these challenges, we studied the wideband NIR luminescence properties of SiO2 -
Al2 O3 -La2 O3 glass materials doped with bismuth ions. The co-dopant Al2 O3 was employed
to enhance the solubility of bismuth materials [22]. Additionally, the inclusion of La2 O3 was
found to enhance the excitation lifetime of rare-earth ions and improve other optical properties of
the glass [23–25]. By optimizing the composition and processing scheme, high concentration
doping of bismuth ions up to 5 mol% was successfully achieved. Experimental measurements
revealed a fluorescence lifetime of 1.473 ms and a maximum FWHM of 336.3 nm for the
broadband luminescence. Comprehensive studies were conducted on the optical absorption,
transmission, and refractive index of glasses with diverse component combinations. The
luminescence mechanism of bismuth ions was also analyzed. By systematically comparing
the luminescence under varying bismuth doping concentrations (1/3/5/10 mol%) and different
excitation wavelengths (488/532/808/980 nm), we discussed the plausible energy level models that
correlate with the observed behaviors in the sample. Furthermore, the individual luminescence
contributions from BAC-Al, BAC-Si, Bi+ , Bi° ions, and group luminescence were examined.
2. Experiment
Glass samples with composition xBi2 O3 -60SiO2 -(30-x)Al2 O3 -10La2 O3 (BSAL, where x = 1,3,5,10)
were prepared using a conventional melting technique. Industrial powders of high purity SiO2
(99.99%), Al2 O3 (99.9%), La2 O3 (99.99%), and Bi2 O3 (99.999%) were uniformly mixed in a
mortar to prepare a 20 g sample. Subsequently, the sample was placed in a ceramic crucible and
melted at 1650 °C for 1 hour. The molten glass was then cooled down to room temperature,
Research Article Vol. 31, No. 25 / 4 Dec 2023 / Optics Express 41785
resulting in the formation of bulk glass. Microscopic examination confirmed the transparency
and absence of bubbles in the prepared glass samples. Following this, the glass samples were
cut and polished into dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 2 mm for further measurements. In
order to investigate the luminescence mechanism of bismuth ions in the glass matrices, the NIR
fluorescence and absorption properties of the BSAL glasses were comprehensively investigated.
The density of the BSAL samples was determined using the Archimedes drainage method.
Transmittance and absorption spectra were recorded over a wavelength range of 300-2000nm
using a UV-Vis-NIR spectrometer (Lambda 950, PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA). Emission spectra
and fluorescence decay curves were obtained by a fluorescence spectrophotometer (FLS1000,
Edinburgh, UK). The single pulse mode is selected to excite the glass and was sampled by
an oscilloscope. The fluorescence lifetime of the sample can be obtained by fitting the data.
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was employed to study the -OH groups. The
refractive index of the sample was measured by an ellipsometer (J.A Woollam RC2).
The density, refractive index, and bismuth particle concentration of the samples were measured
and listed in Table 1. Figure 2 elucidates the relationship between doping concentration and
density. It is evident that the density of the glasses monotonically increases from 3.340 g/cm3 to
3.702 g/cm3 with the increasing content of Bi2 O3 in the glass components. This linear increment
in the number of bismuth ions per cubic centimeter illustrates the effective doping of bismuth in
the samples. Furthermore, the refractive index gradually increases with the rise in Bi2 O3 doping
concentration.
Table 1. The physical properties of xBi2 O3 -60SiO2 -(30-x)Al2 O3 -10La2 O3 glass
x ρ (g/cm3 ) NBi (cm−3 ) N @808 nm N @980 nm N @1300 nm
1 3.340 1.9647 × 1020 1.631 1.627 1.624
3 3.494 5.4919 × 1020 1.637 1.633 1.629
5 3.585 9.1896 × 1020 1.649 1.644 1.639
10 3.702 1.6432 × 1021 / / /
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Fig. 3. (a) Absorption and (b) Transmittance spectra of BSAL samples with different
bismuth concentrations.
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Fig. 4. NIR emission spectra of BSAL samples with various bismuth doped concentrations
at the excitation bands of (a)488, (b) 532, (c) 808, (d)980 nm.
To better comprehend the nature of the active centers in the BSAL sample system, we discuss
the BAC-Al and BAC-Si centers. Notably, the NIR fluorescence peaks exhibit a discernible
red shift with increasing Bi-doping concentration, accompanied by a reduction in aluminum
content. This outcome aligns with the existing theory, which posits that BAC-Al can excite
NIR light at 1150 nm, while BAC-Si can excite NIR light at 1300 nm [15,17,27,34]. The NIR
luminescence centers will be discussed in detail in Section 3.4. Moreover, this observation
substantiates the overall NIR luminescence redshift phenomenon observed following the decrease
in BAC-Al content. Importantly, no shift in fluorescence peak position is observed with changing
concentration for the 808 nm excitation, as shown in Fig. 4(c) This suggests that the 808 nm
pump light can only be absorbed by BAC-Si, thereby stimulating fluorescence at approximately
1300 nm, but it fails to induce the luminescence of BAC-Al. Additionally, the sample doped with
3 mol% exhibits the most pronounced NIR luminescence under 980 nm excitation, as shown in
Fig. 4(d) This indicates that the material structure with a 3 mol% doping concentration is more
effective in absorbing 980 nm pump light, thus promoting the excitation of BAC-Al. Hence, the
experimental results provide valuable insights into the NIR luminescent characteristics of the
Research Article Vol. 31, No. 25 / 4 Dec 2023 / Optics Express 41788
studied BSAL samples, shedding light on the optimal Bi-doping concentration for enhanced
luminescence and the correlation between the BAC-Al and BAC-Si active centers.
Additionally, Fig. 4 also shows the presence of absorption at 1380 nm. This absorption may be
attributed to impurity particles introduced during the material processing, specifically hydroxyl
groups. The characterization of -OH groups or water in glass is typically accomplished by
analyzing the -OH absorption peaks or transmission in the infrared (IR) spectrum. In the case of
silicate glasses [15,16], these absorption peaks are commonly observed at 2.8 µm. Moreover, the
presence of -OH groups in the samples was further confirmed by examining the transmission
spectrum in the wavelength range of 2.5-6 µm. In Fig. 5, a pronounced decrease in transmission
is evident at 2.8 µm, indicating significant absorption attributed to the presence of -OH groups.
fluorescence excitation is deduced. Meanwhile, the valence states of bismuth ions involved in
excitation and their respective contributions are analyzed.
Figure 6 describes the peak splitting of the samples at 808 nm excitation. There are four
Gaussian peaks at 1200 nm, 1300 nm, 1450 nm, and 1560 nm, respectively. The calculation
reveals that the energy corresponding to all Gaussian curves continuously enhanced as the
Bi-doped concentration increases. Here, 1300 nm corresponds to the transition radiation from
2D 4
3/2 to S3/2 in Bi° [15,27,34]. While increasing the Bi concentration, more Bi° ions can be
formed. From Fig. 6, we find that the contribution of Bi-doped active centers to NIR emission
would change with the increase of the concentration, indicating that there are at least two Bi-doped
active centers affecting luminescence at 1200 nm and 1300 nm. In the study on the luminescence
mechanism of bismuth-doped oxide glass, the relevant particle model from the first-character
principle has been established [10,11]. It is found that the bismuth-doped material is complex in
the high-temperature environment, and the bismuth element reacts make it change from Bi3+ to
Bi+ to Bi° and the other Bi clusters [17].
Fig. 6. Peak analysis diagram of samples at 808 nm excitation with Bi-doped (a) 1mol% (b)
3mol% (c) 5mol%
Similarly, other Gaussian sub-peaks also affect the NIR luminescence, and there are various
bismuth particles of different forms in the samples. From the experimental data, we can find that
another particle produced by our samples may transit from 3 P1 to 3 P0, corresponding to the Bi+ ,
with the emission light of 1200 nm. According to the NIR emission spectra excited at 808 nm in
Fig. 4(c), it is inferred that the Bi+ ion is insensitive to this light absorption.
In exploring the mechanism of bismuth valence state on near-infrared luminescence, we found
that the sample color increased with the degree of reduction from shallow to deep through
high-temperature reduction and different degrees of reduction of reducing agent phosphorus,
which is consistent with Zhang’s result [10]. With the high concentration of bismuth, the color of
the sample deepens. At the same time, under the low concentration of bismuth doping of 1mol%,
there is 1200 nm leading NIR luminescence. With the concentration increasing to 3-10 mol%,
1300 nm becomes the main luminescence center. It is also confirmed the glowing valence should
be Bi+ in 1200 nm, and the contribution to the 1300 nm should be contributed to Bi°. Among
them, the peak around 1300 nm gradually becomes the main peak that mainly affects the NIR
luminescence while increasing the concentration of Bi°. In the test, I(Bi°)/I(Bi+ ) (the ratio
of the intensity of Bi° and Bi+ ) increases, indicating that the proportion of Bi° increases at
high concentration, leading to enhanced the Bi° radiative transition. It shows that the Bi ion
concentration increasement generates more clusters that affect the 1300 nm band, resulting in a
wider band of NIR emission.
In addition, there are two weaker Gaussian peaks at 1450 / 1560 nm, where the energy is only
0.7% of the 1300 nm peak. We believe that Bi+ ions are combined with the base material during
the melting process, forming Si-O-Bi groups and a small amount of Si-Bi groups. These two
clusters correspond to the excitation light near 1450 nm and 1560 nm [11,23]. Based on the
Research Article Vol. 31, No. 25 / 4 Dec 2023 / Optics Express 41790
discussions above, we deduce the simplified energy-level distribution of the NIR luminescence
center of the samples, as shown in Fig. 7.
4. Summary
In summary, this research focused on the investigation of the wideband near-infrared spectroscopy
characteristics and luminescence mechanism of highly Bi-doped SiO2 -Al2 O3 -La2 O3 glasses. The
glasses were synthesized using a melting technique, and the optical properties were explored under
different excitation wavelengths. The results showed that the optimum Bi-doped concentration
was 5 mol%, with a corresponding stimulated cross-section of 3.35 × 10−21 cm2 . When pumped
at 808 nm, the glass demonstrated a long fluorescence lifetime of 1.473 ms. Through a detailed
analysis of the luminescence properties, it was determined that the emissions around 1150 nm and
1300 nm originated from BAC-Al and BAC-Si. These findings indicate the potential applications
of highly Bi-doped SiO2 -Al2 O3 -La2 O3 glasses in broadband near-infrared optical devices. The
wideband spectrum and long fluorescence lifetime make these glasses suitable for use as gain
media in wideband active devices.
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