Pressure effect on luminescence dynamics in Pr3+-doped LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 crystals

The 1 D 2 → 3 H 4 luminescence kinetics of LiNbO 3 :Pr 3+ and LiTaO 3 :Pr 3+ have been measured under high hydrostatic pressure applied in a diamond anvil cell for pressures up to 200 kbar. The luminescence decays have been analysed using the continuous function decay times distribution. Two mechanisms that accelerate the emission decays with increasing pressure have been proposed: the non-radiative depopulation of the 1 D 2 state through the Pr 3+ trapped exciton, dominating in LiNbO 3 :Pr 3+ and pressure-induced increase of the ' 1 D 2 → 3 H 4 transition probability, dominating in LiTaO 3 :Pr 3+ .