Abstract
The energy exchange processes within -codoped silica fibers manufactured for high-power optical amplifiers are investigated through luminescent decay measurements and rate-equation modeling. The and luminescence, as functions of pump power, exhibit an unquenchable to cooperative energy transfer (CET) that does not subside with saturation of the inversion. Consistent with the experimental results is the occurrence of secondary energy transfer to excited ions in their metastable state. The transfer coefficient for this secondary CET is determined to be of the same order of magnitude as that for the initial to ground-state CET. Additionally, the decay measurements and modeling indicate that a fraction of ions does not participate in energy exchange with the These nonparticipatory ions amounted to ∼15% of the total concentration and could constitute clusters. Both secondary CET and nonparticipatory will lower fiber amplifier efficiencies.
© 2004 Optical Society of America
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