Yb:phosphate Laser Glass with High Emission Cross-Section

The emission cross section for the 2F5/2–2F7/2 transition of Yb3+ has been determined from absorption and emission measurements of niobosilicate glasses at room temperature. Using systematic variations in the spectroscopic properties, relative to composition, a glass host with emission cross sections of >2.00 pm2 and fluorescence lifetimes of >0.8 ms is obtained. This glass has advantages over some laser glasses that have been reported in other published papers.