The effect of ZnS/ZnO on the formation, luminescence and optical amplification of pbs quantum dots doped glasses

PbS quantum dots (QDs) doped glass, owing to its tunable and broadband photoluminescence, may be used as the gain medium of novel super-broadband fiber amplifier. Utilizing ZnS+PbO to replace PbS as the precursor of QDs can effectively inhibit sulfur volatilization during glass melting, which is beneficial to formation and uniform and controllable growth of PbS QDs in glass matrix. By appropriately increasing concentration of ZnO in glass composition, uniform and controllable growth of PbS QDs can be further improved. Obvious optical amplification at 1550 nm of the PbS QDs doped glasses are detected, which proves that using ZnS+PbO as precursor is beneficial to the increase of optical gain and of the slope value (optical gain vs. pumping power) of PbS QDs doped glasses. Herein, PbS QDs doped 66SiO₂-8B₂O₃-18K₂O-6ZnO-2ZnS-1PbO (in mol%) glass heated at 600 °C exhibits the best optical gain property. The PbS QDs doped glass with broadband optical amplification can be used as a candidate for the gain medium of broadband fiber amplifier and tunable fiber laser.