Luminescence properties of IR-emitting bismuth centres in SiO2-based glasses in the UV to near-IR spectral region

We have studied UV excitation spectra of IR luminescence in bismuth-doped glasses of various compositions and obtained energy level diagrams of IR-emitting bismuth-related active centres (BACs) associated with silicon and germanium atoms up to ~5.2 eV over the ground level. A possible energy level diagram of the BACs in phosphosilicate glass has been proposed. The UV excitation peaks for the IR luminescence of the BACs in the glasses have been shown to considerably overlap with absorption bands of the Bi³⁺ ion, suggesting that Bi³⁺ may participate in BAC formation.