Optical study of praseodymium 3+ in zircon-type orthovanadate phases

Investigation of the optical spectra of Pr3+ (4f(2) configuration) embedded in the zircon-type rare earth orthovanadates REVO4, RE = Pr, Gd, Y and Sc, using the fluorescence, visible and near infrared absorption spectroscopies have been done. Energy level schemes are deduced from the optical data. Only three from seven expected sublevels for H-3(4) ground manifold were observed. Their positions are situated at 0-34-81, 0-53-82, 0-59-83 and 0-(85)-85 cm(-1) in PrVO4, (Pr0.1Gd0.9)VO4, (Pr0.1Y0.9)VO4 and (Pr0.1Sc0.9)VO4, respectively. For ScVO4 matrix rather poor information is obtained, but the levels observed follow the linear and smooth evolution across the rare earth series. This comportment confirms the isostructural character of the rare earth environment, yttrium and scandium included, in the studied compounds. According to this assertion some non-observed electronic transitions are deducted from curves, e.g. H-3(4) (B-2) --> P-3(1) (A(2)) transition. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.