Luminescence studies of Nd3+- and Yb3+-doped α-Y(IO3)3 and β-Y(IO3)3, transparent host matrix in the mid- and beginning of the far-infrared

alpha-Y(IO3)(3) and beta-Y(IO3)(3) are transparent until 12.8 and 13.4 mu m, respectively: thus they are interesting as a potential laser matrix in the mid- and beginning of the far-infrared. So, in order to investigate the properties of lanthanides- doped anhydrous yttrium iodate, polycrystalline samples of alpha-Y1-xNdx(IO3)(3) (0.01 <= x <= 0.05), beta-Y1-xNdx(IO3)(3) (0.001 <= x <= 0.1), alpha-Y1-xYbx(IO3)(3) (0.01 <= x <= 0.33) and beta-Y1-xYbx(IO3)(3) (0.01 <= x <= 0.25) were synthesized. For Nd3+ ions, fluorescent emissions from the F-4(3/2) multiplet were observed at 300 K under pulsed laser excitations at 750 nm and for Yb3+, fluorescent emissions from the F-2(5/2) multiplet were observed at 300 K under pulsed laser excitations at 980 nm. The decays of all these emissions were measured. They are exponential and the fluorescence lifetimes are in the range 0.093-0.193 ms for Nd3+ and 0.370-0.541 ms for Yb3+, depending on the nature of the host and the concentration of doping. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.