Effect of Cerium codoping on Er:BaY(2)F(8) crystals.

We present the Erbium (4)I(11/2) and (4)I(13/2) complete polarized spectroscopic investigation on a series of Er(3+),Ce(3+):BaY(2)F(8) single crystals as a function of Cerium concentration. The main results of room temperature lifetime investigation show that the (4)I(13/2) lifetime reduces from 15.6 ms to 10 ms, the (4)I(11/2) lifetime reduces from 8.3 ms to 0.2 ms and (4)S(3/2) lifetime reduces from 420 to 110 micros when adding 4% Ce-codoping. Moreover, in the same experimental conditions, the fluorescence intensity from (4)I(13/2) increases by four times when adding 4%Ce, and the intensity of the 3 microm (4)I(11/2) ?(4)I(13/2) transition becomes undetectable. The experimental data are interpreted with a rate equation model. The obtained results could be interesting in perspective of obtaining a low-threshold 1.5 microm Er laser.