Abstract: Er³⁺-doped fluoride lead silicate glasses were fabricated. The physical properties, thermal properties, absorption
spectra, fluorescence spectra and fluorescence lifetimes of the samples were investigated. The absorption and stimulated
emission cross-sections of ⁴I_13/2→⁴I_15/2 transition of the samples were calculated by McCumber theory.
The results show that densities, refractive indices, thermal stability, absorption and stimulated emission cross-sections of
the samples decrease, but the fluorescence full width at half max maximum and fluorescence lifetimes of the ⁴I_13/2
level of Er³⁺ increase. Compared with other glass hosts, the gain bandwidth property of Er³⁺-doped 50SiO₂-50PbF₂
glass is close to those of tellurite and bismuth glasses, and has advantage over those of silicate, phosphate and germante lasses, which shows that Er³⁺-doped fluoride lead silicate glasses can be as host materials for broadband optical amplifier.

Key words: fluoride lead silicate glasses, spectral properties, optical fiber amplifier, Er³⁺ ion