Glass composition that emits fluorescence in infrared wavelength region and method of amplifying signal light using the same

摘要

Conventional glass compositions including bismuth as a fluorescent element have a broad amplification wavelength region but do not allow the emission intensity in the 1.3-μm range to be sufficiently high through the excitation caused by light in the 0.8-μm and 0.98-μm ranges. The present invention provides a glass composition including: bismuth; a glass network former; and at least one element selected from the group consisting of dysprosium, erbium, ytterbium, neodymium, thulium, holmium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and molybdenum (except for tetravalent titanium and trivalent iron), wherein the glass composition emits fluorescence in an infrared wavelength region, with the bismuth functioning as a fluorescent source through irradiation of excitation light. The emission intensity is increased by the sensitization effect of the at least one element.