Magnetic dipole emission of Dy^3+:Y_2O_3 and Tm^3+:Y_2O_3 at near-infrared wavelengths

Abstract

Naturally occurring magnetic dipole resonances can be used as optical sources in metamaterials and optical nanostructures to engineer light emission with applications in energy harvesting, biological imaging, and other photonic devices. Here, we use energy-momentum spectroscopy to quantify the electric and magnetic dipole emission rates of near-infrared transitions in Dy3+ and Tm3+ doped Y2O3. Of these emission lines, we find that the overlapping 4F9/2 → 6F11/2 and 4F9/2 → 6H9/2 transitions in Dy3+ and the overlapping 1G4 → 3H5 and 3H4 → 3H6 transitions in Tm3+ exhibit the greatest MD emission and thus offer the most direct pathway for integration with magnetic modes in resonant nanostructures.