Divalent Yb-Doped Silica Glass and Fiber with High Quantum Efficiency for White Light Source

The 4f(13)5d–4f(14) energy transition of Yb(2+) ions can cover the whole white light wavelength, Yb(2+)-doped materials have thus been a hot research field. In order to obtain a white light source, many kinds of Yb(2+)-doped materials have been prepared. In this study, divalent Yb(2+)-doped silica fiber was fabricated using rod-in-tube technology. The fiber core of Yb(2+)-doped silica glass was prepared with high-temperature melting technology under vacuum conditions. The spectroscopic properties of the Yb(2+)-doped glass and fiber were studied. The experiments indicate that divalent Yb(2+)-doped glass has a high quantum efficiency and super-broadband fluorescence in the visible region with an excitation wavelength of 405 nm. In addition, the results suggest that Yb(2+)-doped fiber has a potential for application in visible fiber lasers and fiber amplification.