Magnetic field dependent optical dephasing in LaF3:Er3+

Optical dephasing of the 5388 Å transition between the lowest Kramers doublets of the ⁴S_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} and ⁴I_{$\text{15}\text{2}$} multiplets of Er³⁺:LaF₃ has been studied by photon echo, optical phase switching and optical free induction decay. Er³⁺?¹⁹F hyperfine interactions produce dephasing which is two orders of magnitude faster than in previously studied non-Kramers systems, but at high field changes in the spin dynamics result in microsecond dephasing. For the lower Zeeman component of ⁴S_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}, T₂ (=6μs) is independent of H₀ whereas for the upper component the dephasing is rapid and strongly field dependent. This is quantitatively accounted for by spin lattice relaxation of the upper component of ⁴S_{$\text{3}\text{2}$}. Below 20 kG concentration and temperature dependent dephasing due to electron spin diffusion is observed.