Pressure dependence of the 4f ¹ 5d ¹ → 4f ² emission of Pr ³⁺ :YAG using excited state absorption

Abstract

The pressure dependence of the emission of the 4f15d1 state of Pr3+ is reported. Excitation of the 4f15d1 state of Pr3+ is accomplished using excited state absorption from the 3P0 state to populate the 4f15d1 state of Pr3+ from which emission is measured as a function of pressure. The emission, which occurs at 320 nm at ambient pressure, is found to shift to lower energy, nearly linearly at a rate of –14.1 cm–1/kbar. This compares with –12.5 cm–1/kbar for Ce3+ in YAG. The pressure dependence of the 4f15d1 → 4f2 transitions are explained using a standard crystal field approach and a configurational coordinate model to describe the effects of pressure on the electronic energy of the 4f15d1 state and the electron-lattice coupling. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)