Analyses of the optical and magneto-optical spectra of Tb3Ga5O12

Absorption spectra of the F-7(J), D-5(4,3,2), (5)G(6,5,4), and L-5(10,9) multiplet manifolds of Tb3+ (4f(8)) in D-2 sites in cubic garnet Tb3Ga5O12 (TbGaG) are investigated at sample temperatures between 1.8 K and room temperature. Absorption measurements extend from 5000 to 340 nm. From analyses of temperature-dependent (hot-band) absorption spectra, many of the crystal-field split energy (Stark) levels of the L-2S+1(J) multiplet manifolds of Tb3+ are identified and confirmed from analyses of the fluorescence spectra observed between 485 and 680 nm, representing transitions from the D-5(4) to the F-7(J) manifolds. Each manifold is split by the crystal field into 2J+1 Stark levels. Some of these manifolds, including the ground-state manifold F-7(6), consist of Stark levels that are accidentally degenerate, or nearly so, making transitions to or from these levels appear as unresolved spectra, even at the lowest temperature investigated (1.8 K). To resolve these spectra, we have investigated the Zeeman and magneto-optical spectra for representative manifolds D-5(4), F-7(5), and F-7(6) at temperatures of 78 and 85 K and magnetic fields up to 7 kOe. The data are interpreted using the Stark levels and wave functions from a crystal-field splitting calculation that involved 80 individual Stark levels identified from the optical spectra of the F-7(J) and quintet states reported in this study. Good agreement is obtained between the calculated and the experimental Stark levels. The calculated energy and symmetry label for each Stark level in the D-5(4), F-7(5), and F-7(6) manifolds suitably interpret the spectral properties observed in the magneto-optical spectra, including the experimental assignment reported in the literature for the ground state as a quasidoublet {Gamma(1),Gamma(2)}. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.