OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPY AND FLUORESCENCE DYNAMICS OF ER3+ IN CA3SC2GE3O12 CRYSTAL

The absorption and luminescence spectra of Er3+-doped Ca3Sc2Ge3O12 sin gle crystals have been measured at various temperatures from 10 to 298 R The decay times of the lower-lying excited states, emitting in the visible and the near-IR regions, have been measured as a function of t emperature. From the oscillator strengths of the absorption transition s, the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters have been evaluated. The sponta neous-transition probabilities, the branching ratios,and the radiative lifetimes have been determined for the most important emitting States by use of the calculated intensity parameters, and the results have b een compared with the experimental data. The stimulated-emission cross sections have been estimated for the most important laser transitions , indicating that this compound can be considered a suitable active me dium for laser operation. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.