Room Temperature Persistent Spectral Hole Burning in Sm-Doped SrFCl _1/2 Br _1/2 Mixed Crystals

Abstract

Two-photon persistent hole burning is observed at <i>T</i> = 296 K in ⁵<i>D</i>₁–⁷<i>F</i>₀ and ⁵<i>D</i>₀–⁷<i>F</i>₀ transitions of Sm²⁺ ions in substitutionally disordered SrFCl_1/2Br_1/2 single crystals, showing the ratio of inhomogeneous to homogeneous linewidth of 20 ÷ 25. The minimum hole widths of 3.5 cm^-1 and 2.6 cm^-1, respectively, were determined for these transitions. In fact, the applicability of persistent spectral hole burning, known as a low-temperature high-resolution spectroscopic method and a potential basis for the use of a new–spectral–dimension in optical data storage and processing, is demonstrated for the first time at room temperature in inorganic materials.