1.88 μm laser emission from Tm3+ doped fluorosilicate glass microspheres with excellent stability and high damage threshold

In this letter, high Q factor microsphere resonators with excellent stability and high damage threshold are fabricated from Tm 3+ doped fluorosilicate glasses using the traditional melt-quenching and fiber heating techniques. Intense 1.88 μm photoluminescence and single mode laser emission are obtained under the excitation of an 808 nm laser. The Q factor of the microsphere resonator is measured to be as high as 1.4 × 10 6 . Models for photoluminescence and lasing are proposed using spectroscopic data from the absorption and emission spectra . The excellent resistance to humidity and temperature are characterized from the transmittance spectra under different environmental conditions. Differential thermal analysis (DTA), measured in four different glass samples proves the high damage threshold. The proposed glass microsphere resonator laser can find application in optical sensors and micro lasers, especially in complex environments.