Mid-infrared photoluminescence in small-core fiber of praseodymium-ion doped selenide-based chalcogenide glass

© 2015 Optical Society of America. Rare earth (RE)-ion doped chalcogenide glasses are attractive for mid-infrared (MIR) fiber lasers for operation >4 μm. Our prior modeling suggests that praseodymium (Pr) is a suitable RE-ion dopant for realizing a selenide-based, chalcogenide-glass, step index fiber (SIF) MIR fiber laser operating at 4-5 μm wavelength. Fabrication of RE-ion doped chalcogenide glass fiber, especially with a small core, is a demanding process because crystallization must be avoided during the heat treatments required to effect shaping. Here, a 500 ppmw (parts per million parts, by weight) Pr3+-doped Ge-As-Ga-Se glass SIF with a 10 μm or 15 μm diameter core is reported; the cladding glass is Ge-As-Ga-Se-S. The multistage process to produce the fiber is outlined. Thermal and optical properties of the core/clad. glass pair, and the crystalline/amorphous nature and optical behavior of the small core fiber are reported. MIR photoluminescence and lifetime of a RE-ion doped chalcogenide glass small core fiber are reported for the first time.