Radiative trapping effects in ruby: 77 K to 300 K

Abstract

The fluorescent decay of the 2 E level of the Cr3+ over the range of 77 K to 300 K has been studied in experimental arrangements pro viding strong trapping of the O-phonon lines. At 300 K, rubies as large as 2.5 cm diameter by 28 cm length were used, packed in highly reflective BaSO4 powder to provide adequate trapping of the O-phonon fluorescence. The measurements resulted in the explicit determination of the lifetime vibronic transitions and the O-phonon decay rate.