Optical transitions, absorption intensities, and intermanifold emission cross sections of Pr3+(4f2) in Ca5(PO4)3F crystal host

Abstract

A spectroscopic Judd–Ofelt investigation has been performed on Pr3+ ions doped in calcium fluorapatite, Ca5(PO4)3F, belonging to the apatite structure family. The standard Judd–Ofelt analysis was applied to the room temperature absorption intensities of Pr3+ transitions to determine the phenomenological intensity parameters: Ω2, Ω4, and Ω6. Values of the intensity parameters were subsequently used to determine the decay rates (emission probabilities), radiative lifetimes, and branching ratios of the principal intermanifold transitions of Pr3+ from the P23, D21, and P03 manifold states to the lower-lying manifolds. In addition, the room temperature fluorescence lifetimes and emission cross sections of the P23→H53, D21→H43, and P03→F23 transitions were measured; these values were compared with those of Nd3+:yttritium–aluminum–garnet and Pr3+:Sr5(PO4)3 (known as S–FAP).