Open AccessOptical gain in capillary light guides filled with NaYF_4: Yb^3+, Er^3+ nanocolloids
Author(s) -
Darayas Patel,
Sergey S. Sarkisov,
Abdalla M. Darwish,
John Ballato
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.24.021147
Subject(s) - materials science , capillary action , optics , laser , wavelength , refractive index , phosphor , optoelectronics , optical amplifier , composite material , physics
A capillary light guide optical amplifier using nanocolloids of Yb 3+ -Er 3+ co-doped NaYF 4 as a filler was successfully demonstrated. A 7-cm-long and 150-micron-inner-diameter capillary light guide was capable to amplify a pulsed optical signal at 1550 nm with a gain coefficient of 0.15 cm -1 at a pump power of 4 mW (980-nm wavelength). The nanocolloid gain medium was prepared by pulverizing the phosphor powder with a high-speed planetary ball mill. Ball milling of the powder in water produced nanoparticles with a size of approximately 130 nm that after drying were transferred to a liquid with high refractive index (1.551 at 1550 nm) required to maintain light confinement within the fused silica capillary light guide. The results show that RE-doped colloids of nanocrystals can be potentially used as liquid gain media fillers in capillary light guide lasers and amplifiers with high photostability and low toxicity.