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Purification, material synthesis, and infrared emission from Nd doped PbBr2 and PbI2
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Abstract
We report on the material synthesis and infrared optical properties of Nd doped lead bromide (PbBr2) and lead iodide (PbI2) bulk crystals. Commercial PbBr2 and PbI2 materials were purified through repeated solidification and horizontal zone refinement. After purification, Nd doped lead halides were synthesized and grown by Bridgman technique. Under optical excitation, Nd:PbBr2 samples exhibited several near-infrared emission bands centered at 816 nm, 891 nm, 963 nm, 1069 nm, 1183 nm, 1356 nm, and 1535 nm. The emission from Nd:PbI2 samples was similar to that of from Nd:PbBr2, but slightly shifted to longer wavelengths. The observation of 1540 nm emission from Nd3+ ions is unusual and reflects on the small non-radiative decay rates in the investigated halides. Lead halides have low maximum phonon energies, which reduces non-radiative decay due to multi-phonon relaxations. In contrast to Nd:YAG, Nd:PbBr2 and Nd:PbI2 exhibited efficient emission from the 4F5/2, 2H9/2 excited states, which are located only ∼1000cm−1 above the 4F3/2 level of Nd3+. Under 808 nm diode pumping, both samples also exhibited broad mid-infrared emission bands centered at ∼5.1 μm.
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- Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006