Random Lasers Based on Tellurite and Germanate Glasses and Glass-Ceramics Doped with Rare-Earth Ions

Random lasers (RLs) based on glasses and glass-ceramics doped with rare-earth ions (REI) deserve great attention because of their specific physical properties such as large thermal stability, possibility to operate at high intensities, optical wavelength tunability, and prospects to operate Fiber-RL...

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Main Authors: Davinson M. da Silva, Josivanir G. Câmara, Niklaus U. Wetter, Jessica Dipold, Luciana R. P. Kassab, Cid B. de Araújo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Micromachines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/5/550
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author Davinson M. da Silva
Josivanir G. Câmara
Niklaus U. Wetter
Jessica Dipold
Luciana R. P. Kassab
Cid B. de Araújo
author_facet Davinson M. da Silva
Josivanir G. Câmara
Niklaus U. Wetter
Jessica Dipold
Luciana R. P. Kassab
Cid B. de Araújo
author_sort Davinson M. da Silva
collection DOAJ
description Random lasers (RLs) based on glasses and glass-ceramics doped with rare-earth ions (REI) deserve great attention because of their specific physical properties such as large thermal stability, possibility to operate at high intensities, optical wavelength tunability, and prospects to operate Fiber-RLs, among other characteristics of interest for photonic applications. In this article, we present a brief review of experiments with RLs based on tellurite and germanate glasses and glass-ceramics doped with neodymium (Nd³⁺), erbium (Er³⁺), and ytterbium (Yb³⁺) ions. The glass samples were fabricated using the melt-quenching technique followed by controlled crystallization to achieve the glass-ceramics. Afterwards, the samples were crushed to obtain the powder samples for the RLs experiments. The experiments demonstrated RLs emissions at various wavelengths, with feedback mechanisms due to light scattering at grain/air and crystalline/glass interfaces. The phenomenon of replica symmetry breaking was verified through statistical analysis of the RLs intensity fluctuations, indicating a photonic phase-transition (corresponding to the RL threshold) analogous to the paramagnetic-to-spin glass transition in magnetic materials. The various results reported here highlight the potential of glasses and glass-ceramics for the development of RLs with improved performance in terms of reduction of laser threshold and large lifetime of the active media in comparison with organic materials.
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spelling doaj-art-780db2132cc44088b34a8fca67ceb36b2025-08-20T02:33:58ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2025-04-0116555010.3390/mi16050550Random Lasers Based on Tellurite and Germanate Glasses and Glass-Ceramics Doped with Rare-Earth IonsDavinson M. da Silva0Josivanir G. Câmara1Niklaus U. Wetter2Jessica Dipold3Luciana R. P. Kassab4Cid B. de Araújo5Faculdade de Tecnologia de São Paulo, Pça Cel. Fernando Prestes, 30, São Paulo 01124-060, SP, BrazilEscola Politécnica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-970, SP, BrazilInstituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, IPEN/CNEN, Cidade Universitaria—CEP, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2242, São Paulo 05508-000, SP, BrazilInstituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, IPEN/CNEN, Cidade Universitaria—CEP, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2242, São Paulo 05508-000, SP, BrazilFaculdade de Tecnologia de São Paulo, Pça Cel. Fernando Prestes, 30, São Paulo 01124-060, SP, BrazilDepartamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, PE, BrazilRandom lasers (RLs) based on glasses and glass-ceramics doped with rare-earth ions (REI) deserve great attention because of their specific physical properties such as large thermal stability, possibility to operate at high intensities, optical wavelength tunability, and prospects to operate Fiber-RLs, among other characteristics of interest for photonic applications. In this article, we present a brief review of experiments with RLs based on tellurite and germanate glasses and glass-ceramics doped with neodymium (Nd³⁺), erbium (Er³⁺), and ytterbium (Yb³⁺) ions. The glass samples were fabricated using the melt-quenching technique followed by controlled crystallization to achieve the glass-ceramics. Afterwards, the samples were crushed to obtain the powder samples for the RLs experiments. The experiments demonstrated RLs emissions at various wavelengths, with feedback mechanisms due to light scattering at grain/air and crystalline/glass interfaces. The phenomenon of replica symmetry breaking was verified through statistical analysis of the RLs intensity fluctuations, indicating a photonic phase-transition (corresponding to the RL threshold) analogous to the paramagnetic-to-spin glass transition in magnetic materials. The various results reported here highlight the potential of glasses and glass-ceramics for the development of RLs with improved performance in terms of reduction of laser threshold and large lifetime of the active media in comparison with organic materials.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/5/550random lasersglassesglass-ceramicsupconversionreplica symmetry breaking
spellingShingle Davinson M. da Silva
Josivanir G. Câmara
Niklaus U. Wetter
Jessica Dipold
Luciana R. P. Kassab
Cid B. de Araújo
Random Lasers Based on Tellurite and Germanate Glasses and Glass-Ceramics Doped with Rare-Earth Ions
Micromachines
random lasers
glasses
glass-ceramics
upconversion
replica symmetry breaking
title Random Lasers Based on Tellurite and Germanate Glasses and Glass-Ceramics Doped with Rare-Earth Ions
title_full Random Lasers Based on Tellurite and Germanate Glasses and Glass-Ceramics Doped with Rare-Earth Ions
title_fullStr Random Lasers Based on Tellurite and Germanate Glasses and Glass-Ceramics Doped with Rare-Earth Ions
title_full_unstemmed Random Lasers Based on Tellurite and Germanate Glasses and Glass-Ceramics Doped with Rare-Earth Ions
title_short Random Lasers Based on Tellurite and Germanate Glasses and Glass-Ceramics Doped with Rare-Earth Ions
title_sort random lasers based on tellurite and germanate glasses and glass ceramics doped with rare earth ions
topic random lasers
glasses
glass-ceramics
upconversion
replica symmetry breaking
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/5/550
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