EPR STUDY OF ER3+ IN CONGRUENT LINBO3

Erbium doped congruent LiNbO3 has been investigated with electron para magnetic resonance (EPR). For the orientation of the magnetic field pa rallel to the c-axis the previously observed characteristic hyperfine split EPR spectrum of Er3+ was measured. However, the angular dependen ce shows line splittings not reported before. They can be attributed t o Er3+ defects on Lit sites next to Li+ vacancies (V-Li(+)), which til t the g-tensor orientation away from the c-axis. Several differently o riented Er3+-V-Li(+) complexes have been identified. The EPR spectrum can be explained;assuming a statistical distribution of Vh in the neig hborhood of Er3+-V-Li(+). (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.