Crystal growth and f – f transition intensities analysis of praseodymium ions in yttrium-aluminum orthoborates

Abstract

A Pr3+ : YAl3(BO3)4 crystal with sizes of  20 × 10 × 10 mm was grown from high-temperature solution and its structural and spectroscopic properties were investigated. The distribution coefficient of praseodymium ranged from 0.6 to 0.8, that yield to the Pr3+ ion concentration of 1.1 ⋅1020 cm–3. Visible and infrared groundstate absorption (3H4) was measurement in dependence on the polarisation. The absorption spectra of the Pr3+ : YAl3(BO3)4 exhibit pronounced polarisation anisotropy. The modified Judd – Offelt theory was applied to evaluate the transitions intensities in absorption and emission, branching ratios and radiative lifetimes of the metastable levels 3P0 and 1D2.