The 4f135d-4f14 energy transition of Yb2+ ions can cover the whole white light wavelength, Yb2+-doped materials have thus been a hot research field. In order to obtain a white light source, many kinds of Yb2+-doped materials have been prepared. In this study, divalent Yb2+-doped silica fiber was fabricated using rod-in-tube technology. The fiber core of Yb2+-doped silica glass was prepared with high-temperature melting technology under vacuum conditions. The spectroscopic properties of the Yb2+-doped glass and fiber were studied. The experiments indicate that divalent Yb2+-doped glass has a high quantum efficiency and super-broadband fluorescence in the visible region with an excitation wavelength of 405 nm. In addition, the results suggest that Yb2+-doped fiber has a potential for application in visible fiber lasers and fiber amplification.
Keywords: Yb2+-doped glass; fiber laser; rod in tube; visible–infrared lasers; white light source.