Magneto-optical properties of erbium-doped soda glass

The Faraday rotation and MCD spectrum about absorption bands in erbium-doped soda glass have been studied. The measurements were made in the saturation region and the g-value of the 4I15/2 ground state determined by use of the method of moments. The dominant nature of C-terms in rare-earth doped glasses are confirmed and the Faraday parameters derived for all optical transitions. Some comments are made on the existence of trigonal and tetragonal sites for the erbium ion in the glass matrix. By selective doping with erbium it is possible to produce a glass that has a zero Verdet constant.