Crystal growth and spectroscopic properties of praseodymium and cerium co-doped Y2SiO5

Praseodymium and cerium co-doped yttrium silicate (Pr,Ce:YSO) crystal with high optical quality was grown by the Czochralski method. The segregation coefficient of Pr3+ and Ce3+ is measured to be 0.547 and 0.136, respectively. The polarized absorption bands centered at 268 nm, 299 nm and 356 nm were assigned to 4f (F-2(5/2)) -> 5d inter-configuration transitions of Ce3+, while bands centered at 220 nm and 250 nm were assigned to 4f(n)-4f(n-1)5d transitions of Pr3+. The VUV-UV excitation spectra for monitoring Pr3+ emissions centered at 610 nm (D-1(2)-> H-3(4)) and 489 nm (P-3(0)-> H-3(4)), as well as Ce3+ emission centered at 450 nm were recorded at T=8 K in the range of 100 nm-320 nm. Polarized excitation spectra for Ce3+ emission centered at 424 nm and Pr3+ emission centered at 611 nm were recorded at T=300 K. Polarized emission spectra were obtained upon excitation at 365 nm and 456 nm at T=300 K. Lifetimes were estimated to be 170 mu s for Pr3+ (D-1(2)), 3 mu s for Pr3+ (P-3(0)) and 39 ns for Ce3+ ((5)d(1)). (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.