Multiphonon relaxation of rare earth ions in borate, phosphate, germanate and tellurite glasses

Non-radiative multiphonon relaxation rates were obtained for excited electronic states in borate, phosphate, germanate and tellurite glasses. The rates were calculated from the intensities of fluorescence in the visible range of the spectrum, the measured radiative transitions and the decay times of fluorescence. A functional dependence was found between the relaxation rates and the energy gaps of the rare earth ion. It was shown that by changing the glass host from the borate to tellurite matrix, an increase in visible fluorescence was achieved. This was especially notable in Er³⁺, where the increase of fluorescence from germanate to tellurite was by a factor of 15.