Spectra and energy levels of Er3+ (4f11) in Gd3Ga5O12

A detailed crystal-field splitting analysis is presented for the energy levels of Er3+(4f(11)) incorporated into Gd3Ga5O12 single crystals. Spectra are reported between 1600 and 350 nm and were observed at temperatures between 8 K and room temperature. It is most likely that Er3+ ions substitute for Gd3+ ions in cationic sites of D-2 symmetry in the cubic garnet host. A parameterized model Hamiltonian including atomic and crystal-field terms is diagonalized over the entire electronic configuration of Er3+(4f(11)). The diagonalization of the total energy matrix accounts for the intrinsic J-J mixing between states described in terms of the basis set of SLJM(J) wave functions. The resolved absorption spectra, representing some 120 transitions from the ground state, I-4(15/2), to excited multiplet manifolds, L-2s+1(J), are compared with calculated Stark levels. A final standard deviation of 5.3 cm-1 is obtained between 60 calculated and experimental Stark levels. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.