Multiphoton absorption excited upconversion luminescence in optical fiber

Abstract: We experimentally demonstrate a novel nonlinear effect in optical fibers: upconversion luminescence generation excited by multiphoton absorption of femtosecond infrared pulses. We directly estimate the average number of photons involved in the up-conversion process, by varying the wavelength of the pump source. We highlight the role of non-bridging oxygen hole centers and oxygen deficient center defects, and directly compare the intensity of side-scattered luminescence with numerical simulations of pulse propagation.