Spectroscopic Study of the Crystal Field Splittings in TbPO₄

Abstract

Abstract The optical absorption and emission spectra of Tb 3+ in TbPO 4 in its tetragonal structure above 2.3 K are studied to obtain the energies, symmetry types, and wave functions of mainly the lowest crystal field components of the ground term 7 F 6 . Crystal field parameters are evaluated and used to calculate the anisotropy of the single‐ion energy in a semi‐classical way. This gives interesting indications for the types of magnetic structures and Jahn‐Teller distortion which occur in this substance below 2.3 K.