Vacuum ultraviolet optical properties of a micro-pulling-down-method grown Nd^3+:(La_09,Ba_01)F_29

Abstract

Nd3+:(La1−x,Bax)F3−x(x=0.1) is efficiently grown by the micro-pulling-down method. Characterization of its optical properties reveals that it is transparent in the vacuum ultraviolet region with an absorption edge at around 180 nm. It has fluorescence centered at 175 nm with a bandwidth of 12 nm and a lifetime of 6.1 ns as measured by a vacuum ultraviolet streak camera and spectrometer combination. It is proposed to be suitable as a vacuum ultraviolet scintillator and a potential laser material.