The nonuniform Yb-Er Codoped Al2O3 films were prepared on SiO2/Si substrates using a medium frequency magnetron sputtering system. Two asymmetry targets in the system were introduced to realize the nonuniform dopant. Some curves of Photoluminescence (PL) peak intensity were obtained by adjusting the deposition parameters, such as, the pillar number of erbium and ytterbium in the mixed target and the distance between a sample table and targets. Typically, the curve of PL peak intensity against the offset distance was approximately linear. The ratio of the PL intensity at the two ends of the same sample was 12.6 and the slope was 71.83/mm when the pillar numbers of the erbium and ytterbium in the mixed target are 5 and 60, respectively, and the distance between targets and the sample table is 2.9 cm.
The green and red up-conversion emissions centred at about 534, 549 and 663 nm of wavelength, corresponding respectively to the 2 H 11/2 → 4 I 15/2 , 4 S 3/2 → 4 I 15/2 and 4 F 9/2 → 4 I 15/2 transitions of Er 3+ ions, have been observed for the Er 3+ -doped silicate glass excited by a 978 nm semiconductor laser beam. Excitation power dependent behaviour of the up-conversion emission intensity indicates that a two-photon absorption up-conversion process is responsible for the green and red up-conversion emissions. The temperature dependence of the green up-conversion emissions is also studied in a temperature range of 296-673 K, which shows that Er 3+ -doped silicate glass can be used as a sensor in high-temperature measurement.
