Undoped and Yb3+-doped Al-2(WO4)(3): crystal growth and spectroscopy of new optical materials

Pure and Yb3+-doped Al-2(WO4)(3) single crystals of good quality and purity were grown using the Bridgman-Stockbarger method. This is the first time t hat Al3+ is substituted with big cations such as lanthanide ones. Undoped, this compound has attractive properties as a non-linear chi ((3)) material (nu (1) = 1049 cm(-1)). When doped with Yb3+, it also has interesting spect roscopic properties. Yb3+ absorption, emission spectra and lifetime have be en measured. The Yb3+ F-2(7/2) level splitting was found to be 856 cm(-1) ( higher than Yb-YAG: 628), and its F-2(5/2) excited level lifetime is 1.4 ms . However, the Yb absorption cross-sections are weak. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.