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Congruent LiNbO3 crystals doped with 5.5/1, 6/0.15, and 7/0.8 mol %/mol % of Zn/Er were thermally treated at 1120 °C over 101 h using vapor transport equilibration (VTE) technique. Unpolarized visible and infrared absorption spectra of the VTE-treated and corresponding as-grown crystals were recorded at room temperature. It is shown that VTE treatment has brought these crystals closer to stoichiometric composition. X-ray powder diffraction and optical absorption results show that the VTE treatment induces the crystalline phase transformation with respect to Er3+ from the original Er3+:LiNbO3 to the ErNbO4 in all crystals studied. The formation of the ErNbO4 phase results in substantial absorption changes that include the drop of the transparency in the visible region, the reduction of Er3+ absorption, and the Zn-doping-level-dependent changes in spectral shape and peaking position at 0.98 and 1.5 μm regions. Based upon the measured absorption spectra, the influences of Zn-doping level and VTE treatment on the Er3+ spectroscopic properties were studied by using the Judd-Ofelt (JO) theory. The results show that the VTE treatment has a little effect on the fluorescence branch ratio, while a large effect on the JO parameters, oscillator strength, and electron transition probability. The Zn doping level affects the JO parameters, oscillator strength, and transition probabilities of some individual manifolds. In addition, the VTE treatment leads to the increases of the theoretical radiative lifetimes of almost all manifolds considered. For the emission at 1.5 μm, the lifetime increase is as much as 30% and the theoretical results are in well agreement with the experimental data. The VTE-induced lifetime increase is qualitatively explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Visible and infrared absorption and emission spectra of Er3+-doped strontium gadolinium gallate (SrGdGa 3 O 7) single-crystal were measured at room temperature. From the measured fluorescence spectra, the Er3+ emission cross section spectra were calculated at first. Then, by utilizing McCumber relation, the absorption cross section spectra were further calculated. In parallel, the absorption cross section spectra were also calculated from the measured absorption spectra of the crystal, and compared with those spectra calculated from the McCumber relation. The comparison shows that the absorption cross section spectra obtained using the McCumber relation are in reasonable agreement with those deduced from the measured absorption spectrum. Graphical abstract Visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared emission and absorption cross section spectra of Er3+ in SrGdGa 3 O 7 single-crystal have been calibrated from measured fluorescence spectra using the McCumber theory. The absorption cross-section spectrum was also calibrated from the measured absorption spectrum. Comparison shows that the absorption cross section spectra calibrated from the McCumber theory are reasonably consistent with those from the absorption spectrum. Present work presents complete cross section knowledge of the studied crystal. fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]