Theoretical Spectra of Luminescent Solids

Abstract

From the potential energy curves for the ground and excited states of the thallium activator in potassium chloride, the absorption spectrum of this phosphor is calculated by direct evaluation of the matrix elements for electronic transitions between the individual vibrational levels of the initial and final states. Harmonic oscillator wave functions in the initial state and wave functions for a linear potential in the final state are used. The results verify the classical and semiclassical spectra previously reported, and provide a new insight into the application of the Franck-Condon principle to solid-state luminescence.