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Abstract: Polarized visible and infrared emission characteristics of Er3+ ions in vapor-transport-equilibration (VTE)-treated LiNbO3 crystals codoped with different concentrations of Zn and Er were investigated in comparison with corresponding as-grown crystals. The results show that the VTE treatment leads to substantial spectral changes of Er3+ emissions at 0.65, 0.98 and 1.5μm regions, and the spectral changes in the 0.98 and 1.5μm regions appear to be Zn-concentration-dependent. It is concluded in combination with X-ray powder diffraction results and optical absorption characteristics reported previously that the VTE treatment resulted in crystalline phase transformation with respect to Er3+ ions from original LiNbO3 to ErNbO4 phase in all crystals studied. The formation of the ErNbO4 phase and the Zn2+ codopants are responsible for the VTE-induced substantial spectral changes. The emission characteristics of the ErNbO4 precipitates in the Zn/Er-codoped crystals are found to be very different from those of the ErNbO4 precipitates in the only Er-doped crystal in the infrared region, and the difference is attributed to the influence of the Zn2+ codopant on the Er3+ ion environment. The mechanism of the crystalline phase transformation is qualitatively explained from the viewpoint of the declined solubility of Er3+ ion in a Li-rich LiNbO3 crystal and from the phase diagram of Li2O–Nb2O5 system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Er3NbO7 phosphor was synthesized by sintering a mixture of Er2O3 and Nb2O5 powder in a molar ratio of 3:1 at 1600°C over 55h. Optical absorption and emission characteristics of Er3+ ions in the calcined Er3NbO7 powder were investigated and discussed compared with ErNbO4 phosphor and a Z-cut congruent Er (2mol%):LiNbO3 single crystal. The absorption and emission studies show that, due to different crystal structures, the spectroscopic properties of these niobates have some differences in spectral shape, peak position, and relative intensity, especially at 1.5μm. The most obvious spectral feature of the Er3NbO7 is that the spectral structure of band instead of peak is observed in its absorption or emission spectrum due to the existence of local structural disorder and multiple Er3+ sites. The Er3NbO4 shows stronger upconversion emission than the single crystal but weaker than the ErNbO4. Experimental results show that energy transfer upconversion and/or excited state absorption play a dominant role in the upconversion emissions, and, at higher pump level (>200mW), the thermal effect becomes significant and results in drop of the upconversion intensity. The 1.5μm lifetimes of Er3+ ion in the Er3NbO7, ErNbO4 phosphor, and in the Er:LiNbO3 crystal are measured to be ∼5.3, 2.0, and 2.4ms, respectively. In combination with the measured Raman spectra, the quantum efficiency, multiphonon nonradiative decay rate, and theoretical radiative lifetime of the 1.5μm emission of the two powder materials are expected. The differences in upconversion intensity and measured 1.5μm lifetime between the three materials are explained qualitatively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]