EXCITED-STATE ABSORPTION IN MN5+SR-5(VO4)(3)F

We report measurements of the excited state absorption (ESA) spectra o f Mn:SVAP for both sigma and pi polarizations upon laser excitation at 700 nm. The results indicate that strong ESA with cross sections of t he order of 10(-18) cm(2) covers most or all of the visible spectral r egion and extends to about 1150 nm. An even stronger ESA band exists i n the blue and near ultraviolet region. The polarizations of the obser ved bands are not adequately explained by intraionic Mn5+ transitions, indicating that molecular orbital states lie at least as low as 24500 cm(-1).