  A new class of Erbium doped glasses with compositions xNa2O - (60-x)PbCl2 -
40P2O5 (x=0, 10, 20 and 30) were fabricated and characterized for optical
properties. Absorption spectra were analyzed for important Judd-Ofelt
parameters from the integrated intensities of various Er3+ glass absorption
bands. Photoluminescence (PL) and its decay behavior studies were carried out
for the transition 4I13/2 -> 4I15/2. A systematic correlation between the
Judd-Ofelt parameter {omega}2 and the covalent nature of the glass matrix was
observed, due to increased role of bridging oxygens in the glass network. The
PL broadness and life times of 4I13/2_> 4I15/2 transition were typically in the
range of 40-60nm and 2.13-2.5ms respectively. These glasses broadly showed high
transparency, high refractive index, shorter life times and, most importantly,
these glasses were found to be capable of being doped with larger
concentrations of Er3+ (up to 4 wt%). Increase of Er3+ concentration resulted
in the increase in PL line-widths with no significant effect of concentration
quenching, indicating that these glasses are suitable for optical
fibre/waveguide amplifiers.
