The spectroscopic properties of Tm(3+)/Yb(3+) co-doped silica fibers under excitation at 980 nm are reported. Three distinct up-conversion fluorescence bands were observed in the visible to near infra-red regions. The blue and red fluorescence bands at 475 and 650 nm, respectively, were found to originate from the (1)G(4) level of Tm(3+). A three step up-conversion process was established as the populating mechanism for these fluorescence bands. The fluorescence band at 800 nm was found to originate from two possible transitions in Tm(3+); one being the transition from the (3)H(4) to (3)H(6) manifold which was found to dominate at low pump powers; the other being the transition from the (1)G(4) to (3)H(6) level which dominates at higher pump powers. The fluorescence lifetime of the (3)H(4) and (3)F(4) levels of Tm(3+) and (2)F(5/2) level of Yb(3+) were studied as a function of Yb(3+) concentration, with no significant energy back transfer from Tm(3+) to Yb(3+) observed.

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A study of the mechanisms responsible for the infra-red to near infra-red up-conversion in thulium doped silica fibres is presented.

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Mueller matrix ellipsometry has been used to determine the effective optical constants of island-like Ag films deposited by thermal evaporation. These films depart substantially from bulk silver with a prominent localized surface plasmon resonance. Moreover, despite the isotropic appearance, they exhibit uniaxial optical properties with the optical axis inclined by 83.4° from the substrate normal toward the direction of the incoming vapor flux. The uniaxial model supports the plasmon resonance peaks revealed by in-plane absorbance measurements of the films. The uniaxial behavior suggests that the resonances along the ordinary axes are weakly coupled between neighboring particles, whereas the extraordinary resonance is relatively strongly coupled. Therefore, the anisotropy should be considered in the practical applications of these plasmonic films.