  Vanadium doped gallium lanthanum sulphide glass (V:GLS) displays three
absorption bands at 580, 730 and 1155 nm identified by photoluminescence
excitation measurements. Broad photoluminescence, with a full width half
maximum (FWHM) of 500 nm, is observed peaking at 1500 nm when exciting at 514,
808 and 1064 nm. The fluorescence lifetime and quantum efficiency at 300 K were
measured to be 33.4 us and 4 % respectively. From the available spectroscopic
data we propose the vanadium ions valence to be 3+ and be in tetrahedral
coordination The results indicate potential for development of a laser or
optical amplifier based on V:GLS.
