Systematic control of spectral hole burning and homogeneous linewidth by disorder in Y2O3 : Pr3+ crystalline systems

We investigated the hole-burning phenomena and homogeneous Linewidth in Pr3 +-doped Y2O3-based crystals under the systematic control of disorder in the crystal. When divalent ions are doped into an Y2O3:Pr3+ crystal, holes due to rearrangement of local structure around Pr3+ ions are burned. The burni ng curves are successfully analyzed in terms of a distributed tunneling rat e model for hole formation. The burning efficiency from this analysis and t he homogeneous linewidth. become larger as the crystal includes a larger am ount of divalent ions. The interaction of Pr3+ ions with oxygen vacancies i s thought to be one of the origins of the hole production and the Line broa dening. The interaction length between Pr3+ ions and oxygen vacancies is di scussed. [S0163-1829(99)01214-X].