We report on the excited state fluorescence and absorption characteris
tics of chromium-doped gahnite glass ceramic. The material is characte
rized by a very structured and wide emission spectrum despite Its lowe
st excited state being the doubler E-2(g), usually associated with ver
y weak electron-phonon coupling. Excited state absorption is principal
ly from the doubler E-2(g) to three higher-energy doublets though an a
dditional contribution due to the gahnite glass ceramic host is also p
resent during UV excitation. The chromium excited state absorption has
been extracted from the overall spectrum. Utilizing data from the emi
ssion, absorption and excitation spectra, the configuration coordinate
diagram describing octahedrally coordinated Cr3+ ions in the gahnite
glass ceramic has been produced. From this diagram the expected excite
d state absorption spectrum, including the influence of bleaching, has
been modelled and a comparison made with experimental data. (C) 1998
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