Spectroscopic studies of Mn4+ ions in yttrium orthoaluminate

The absorption and emission spectra and the luminescence kinetics of Mn4+:Y AlO3, the potential crystal for holographic recording and optical data stor age, were studied at room and liquid-nitrogen temperatures. The spectroscop ic properties of Mn:YAlO3 were compared with those of Mn:GdAlO3, Mn:Y3Al5O1 2, and Cr:YAlO3. It was found that a single-site occupancy of Mn4+ ions in YAlO3 and GdAlO3 at room temperature changes to a multisite occupancy at lo w temperature. Possible reasons for such a transformation are discussed. Th e parameters Dq and B in Mn4+:YAlO3 were determined to be 2115 and 680 cm(- 1), correspondingly. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America. [S0740-3224(98)02 012-8]. OCIS codes: 160.6990, 210.4810, 160.2900, 300.1030, 300.2140.