Absorption and fluorescence of Er3+-doped LiYF4: measurements and simulation

Abstract Er 3+ :LiYF 4 single crystal has been studied by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy in the IR–visible-UV (0–44000 cm −1 ) region from 4.2 K to room temperature. Polarized spectra were recorded in order to assign numerous Stark levels of electronic transitions mentioned but not attributed before in the related literature and to discuss the irreducible representations (irreps) of the 4 I 15/2 sublevels. A parametric hamiltonian, including free ion ( E ν , α , β , γ , T λ , ζ , M k and P i ) and crystal field parameters ( B 2 0 , B 4 0 , B 4 4 , B 6 0 and B 6 4 ) in an approximate D 2d symmetry for the rare earth site in this scheelite type structure, was used to simulate 109 energy positions of the Er 3+ ion with a r.m.s. standard deviation of 14.6 cm −1 . A comparison with previously published results for Nd 3+ in the same matrix is done.