Enhancement of Er3+ population in Y2O3 by energy transfer to Ce3+

Abstract We report measurements of the energy transfer between Er 3+ and Ce 3+ in Y 2 O 3 . The transition between the Er 3+ 4 I 11/2 and 4 I 13/2 excited states can be stimulated by energy transfer to Ce 3+ , augmenting the population in the 4 I 13/2 state at the expense of that in the 4 I 11/2 state. Experiments were performed on Y 2 O 3 planar waveguides doped with 0.2 at.% erbium and 0–0.42 at.% cerium by ion implantation. From measurements of Er 3+ decay rates as a function of cerium concentration we derive an energy transfer rate constant of 1.3×10 −18 cm 3 / s . The efficiency of the energy transfer amounts to 0.47 at 0.42 at.% cerium. The energy transfer rate constant measured in Y 2 O 3 is two times smaller for Er 3+ →Ce 3+ than that for Er 3+ →Eu 3+ in the same material.