Spectroscopy of vanadium (III) doped gallium lanthanum sulphide chalcogenide glass

Vanadium doped gallium lanthanum sulphide glass (V:GLS) displays three absorption bands at 580, 730, and 1155 nm identified by photoluminescence excitation measurements. Broad photoluminescence, with a full width at half maximum of ∼500 nm, is observed peaking at 1500 nm when exciting at 514, 808, and 1064 nm. The fluorescence lifetime and quantum efficiency at 300 K were measured to be 33.4 μs and 4%, respectively. From the available spectroscopic data, the authors propose the vanadium ions' valence to be 3+ and be in tetrahedral coordination. The results indicate a potential for the development of a laser or optical amplifier based on V:GLS.