IP Library › Granted Patent US 6,879,609
Granted Patent B2
US 6,879,609 · App. 10/608,930 · Granted Apr 12, 2005

Silicate glass for upconversion fluorescence

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,879,609
App. No.
10/608,930
Granted
Apr 12, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A thulium doped silicate glass composition which contains SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and La 2 O 3 emits visible and UV light when excited by infrared light. The glass composition may also contain GeO 2 and Er 2 O 3 . When excited by infrared light of about 1060 nm, the glass emits visible light at fluorescent transitions of the Tm 3+ ions with major broad features at 365, 455, 472, 651, and 791 nm.

Claims (50)

1. An upconversion light source comprising:

a silicate glass comprising silica and oxides of Al, La, and Tm; and

a pump source of a first radiation having a first peak wavelength coupled to the silicate glass;

wherein the first radiation excites Tm ions in the silicate glass to emit at second radiation having a second peak wavelength shorter than the first peak wavelength.

2. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the silicate glass further comprises an oxide of Ge.

3. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the silicate glass further comprises an oxide of Er.

4. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the silicate glass further comprises oxides of Ge and Er.

5. The light source of claim 4 , wherein:

a concentration of Al is about 0.5 mol % to about 20 mol %;

a concentration of La is greater than 0 mol % to about 4 mol %;

a concentration of Ge is from 0 mol % to about 15 mol %;

a concentration of Er is from 0 ppm to about 3,000 ppm; and

a concentration of Tm is about 15 ppm to about 10,000 ppm.

6. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the silicate glass is a portion of an optical fiber.

7. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the first peak wavelength is between about 1000 nm and about 1200 nm.

8. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the first peak wavelength is about 1060 nm and the second peak wavelength is between about 450 nm and about 480 nm.

9. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the first peak wavelength is about 1060 nm and the second peak wavelength is between about 360 nm and about 370 nm.

10. A curing radiation source including the light source of claim 1 .

11. A display device including the light source of claim 1 .

12. A method for upconverting first radiation having a first peak wavelength into second radiation having a second peak wavelength that is shorter than the first peak wavelength, the method comprising:

providing a silicate glass comprising silica and oxides of Al, La, and Tm; and

irradiating the silicate glass with the first radiation causing the silicate glass to emit the second radiation.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicate glass further includes GeO 2 .

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicate glass further includes Er 2 O 3 .

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicate glass further includes oxides of Ge and Er.

16. A light-emitting fiber comprising:

an optical glass fiber comprising silica and oxides of Al, La, Ge, Er, and Tm; and

a pump source of a first radiation having a first peak wavelength coupled to the optical fiber to excite Tm ions in the core of the optical glass fiber so that the fiber emits a second radiation having a second peak wavelength, that is shorter than the first peak wavelength.

17. The light-emitting fiber of claim 16 , wherein the first peak wavelength is about 1060 nm.

18. An upconversion light source comprising:

a silicate glass comprising silica and oxides of Al, La, and Tm; and

a pump source of pump radiation for exciting Tm ions in the silicate glass to 1 G 4 and 1 D 2 excited states to produce upconverted emitted radiation.

19. The light source of claim 18 , wherein the silicate glass further comprises an oxide of Ge.

20. The light source of claim 18 , wherein the silicate glass further comprises an oxide of Er.

21. The light source of claim 18 , wherein the silicate glass further comprises oxides of Ge and Er.

22. The light source of claim 21 , wherein the silicate glass includes:

a concentration of Al of about 0.5 mol % to about 20 mol %;

a concentration of La of greater than 0 mol % to about 4 mol %;

a concentration of Ge of from 0 mol % to about 15 mol %;

a concentration of Er of from 0 ppm to about 3,000 ppm; and

a concentration of Tm of about 15 ppm to about 10,000 ppm.

23. The light source of claim 18 , wherein the silicate glass is a portion of an optical fiber.

24. The light source of claim 18 , wherein the pump radiation has a peak wavelength of between about 1000 nm to about 1200 nm.

25. The light source of claim 18 , wherein the pump radiation has a peak wavelength of about 1060 nm and the upconverted emitted radiation has a peak wavelength between about 450 and about 480 nm.

26. The light source of claim 18 , wherein the pump radiation has a peak wavelength of about 1060 nm and the upconverted emitted radiation has a peak wavelength between about 360 nm and about 370 nm.

27. A method producing blue light, the method comprising:

providing a silicate glass comprising silica and oxides of Al, La, and Tm; and

irradiating the silicate glass with pump radiation of a wavelength which is absorbed by Tm ions in the silicate glass to cause the Tm ions in the silicate glass to emit blue light.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the silicate glass further includes GeO 2 .

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the silicate glass further includes Er 2 O 3 .