Absorption spectra and circular dichroism of Sr3Ga2Ge2O14: Cr and Ca3Ga2Ge2O14: Cr crystals

Absorption spectra and circular dichroism spectra of chromium-doped Sr-gallogermanate crystals of different colors and doped and pure Ca-gallogermanate crystals have been studied. It is shown that chromium ions enter the Sr-gallogermanate crystals in two valence states—Cr³⁺ and Cr⁴⁺. It is assumed that Cr⁴⁺ ions replace Ge⁴⁺ in the tetrahedra.     

Influence of X-ray irradiation on the optical properties of chromium-doped KliSO4 crystals

The absorption and circular-dichroism spectra of chromium-activated KLiSO₄ crystals both nonirradiated and irradiated with an X-ray beam have been studied. It was established that in nonirradiated crystals chromium ions are mainly trivalent (Cr³⁺) and have octahedral coordination. In irradiated crystals, along with the centers provided by (Cr³⁺) ions, new centers are formed associated with (^Cr4+) and (^Cr5+) ions.     

Investigation on the blue photorefractive properties varied with MgO codoping in Ru:Fe:LiNbO3 crystals

Mg:Ru:Fe:LiNbO₃ crystals with various doping concentration of MgO have been grown by Czochralski method. The type of charge carriers and photorefractive properties in Mg:Ru:Fe:LiNbO₃ crystals were measured by two‐wave coupling method using Kr⁺ laser (476 nm) and He‐Ne laser (633 nm) as light sources. We found that holes were the dominant charge carriers under blue light irradiation while electrons were the dominant charge carriers under red light irradiation. Mg²⁺ ions behaved no longer as damage resistant, but promoter to the photorefractive properties at 476 nm wavelength. The photorefractive properties under blue light improved with the increase concentration of Mg²⁺ ions. The enhancement mechanisms of the blue photorefractive were suggested. Experimental results definitely showed that Mg‐doped two‐centre Ru:Fe:LiNbO₃ was a promising blue photorefraction material for holographic volume storage.     

Cr3+‐doped LiNbO3 crystals grown by the Bridgman method

The growth of LiNbO₃ crystals doped with Cr³⁺ ions in 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 mol % concentrations by Bridgman method were reported. The Cr³⁺ ion concentrations in crystals were measured by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. Electron paramagnetic resonance had been used to investigate the sites occupied by the Cr³⁺ ions. Two Cr³⁺ ion centers located at Li⁺ and Nb⁵⁺ sites (Cr_Li³⁺ and Cr_Nb³⁺ centers, respectively) were observed. Optical absorption and temperature‐dependence emission spectra of the Cr³⁺ ions were reported. The crystal‐field parameters and Racah parameters of the Cr³⁺ ion defect sites were reported and compared with those grown by Czochralski technique. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Spectroscopy studies of pure and chromium-doped calcium gallogermanate crystals, Ca3Ga2Ge4O14

Absorption spectra, the spectra of circular dichroism and magnetic circular dichroism of pure and Cr-doped Ca₃Ga₂Ge₄O₁₄ crystals have been studied. The crystal-field parameters and the transition frequencies of Cr³⁺ ions are calculated. The location of Cr³⁺ and Cr⁴⁺ ions in oxygen octahedra and tetrahedra is confirmed. The spectra of circular dichroism show the maxima due to Cr³⁺ ions and growth-induced defects.     

Dielectric properties of triglycine sulfate crystals with defects at low and infralow frequencies

Dielectric responses of several crystals in ultraweak measuring fields at low and infralow frequencies are compared, namely, of nominally pure, Cr-and Lα-alanine-doped triglycine sulfate (TGS) crystals and TGS + Cr³⁺ crystals irradiated with X-rays. It is shown that dopant-induced bias fields give rise to crystal unipolarity, suppress the domain contribution to their dielectric response, and diffuse the phase transition. It is established that X-ray irradiation of the crystals results in “radiation annealing” of TGS + Cr³⁺ crystals, which increases their permittivity and diminishes diffusion of the phase transition.     

Optical and magnetic properties of first-row transition metal ions in lead-silicate glass

First-row transition metal ions in lead-silicate glasses of composition: 37.9% mol PbO, 61.8% mol SiO₂ have been studied with regard to the oxidation state and the coordination by means of optical and magnetic measurements. Optical spectra have been recorded at 300 and 77 K. All the observed bands are assigned as being due to d-d transitions in T_d and/or O_h fields. Magnetic moments are of the order of the spin-only values. By ESR measurements we reveal and quantify titanium, vanadium and manganese oxidation states not detectable by the other techniques.It turns out that the various metal ions have the following oxidation states: Ti³⁺ and Ti⁴⁺, V⁴⁺ and V⁵⁺, Cr³⁺ and Cr⁶⁺, Mn²⁺ and Mn³⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺. The coordination is 4-fold for Ti⁴⁺ and V⁵⁺ and 6-fold for Mn³⁺ and Cu²⁺. Moreover it has been found that Fe³⁺, Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ are both 4-fold and 6-fold coordinated and that Cr³⁺ and Cr⁶⁺ oxidation states coexist in the same sample.     

Excited-state absorption spectroscopy of crystals doped with Cr3+, Ti3+, and Nd3+ ions. Review

Basic results of the investigations of the absorption and luminescence spectra of strongly pumped crystals doped with Cr³⁺, Ti³⁺, and Nd³⁺ ions are considered. These investigations have been systematically carried out since 1968 in the Laboratory of Physics of Optical Crystals and the Laboratory of Spectroscopy of Crystals of the Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The results obtained are compared with the data in the literature.     

The absorption and circular dichroism spectra of langasite family crystals doped with chromium ions

The absorption and circular dichroism spectra of langasite family crystals, La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄, La₃Ga₅GeO₁₄, Ca₃Ga₂Ge₄O₁₄, Sr₃Ga₂Ge₄O₁₄ (red), Sr₃Ga₂Ge₄O₁₄ (green), La₃Ta_0.5Ga_5.5O₁₄, and La₃Nb_0.5Ga_5.5O₁₄, which were doped with chromium ions, have been investigated in the range of 240–850 nm. It is shown that chromium ions are incorporated into the structure of the investigated crystals both in the octahedrally (Cr³⁺ ion in 1a octahedron) and tetrahedrally (Cr⁴⁺ ion in 2d tetrahedron) coordinated positions. The ion ratio Cr³⁺/Cr⁴⁺ changes in a wide range in the crystals studied.     

Cr3+ luminescence quenching in stoichiometric lithium niobate crystals

Cr³⁺-doped stoichiometric LiNbO₃ crystals were grown and detailed spectroscopic investigations were performed. The samples are characterized by extremely low frequency factor of the luminescence thermal quenching. Its numerical value 1.7 × 10⁸ s⁻¹ is about 10⁴ times lower than in crystals of lithium-aluminum fluorides. Under such conditions, radiative transitions of Cr³⁺ ions compete successfully with non-radiative ones, resulting in a relatively high quantum yield of the broadband luminescence at room temperature. The quenching of luminescence is counteracted by the effect of the dynamic removal of the radiative transition exclusion, and as a result, Cr³⁺ radiative lifetime in LiNbO₃ decreases from 8 to 4 μs when temperature grows up from 77 to 300 K. Therefore quantum yield of the broadband luminescence at room temperature is not 5–10%, as reported previously, but about 30%. The results obtained in the present study show the stoichiometric lithium niobate doped with Cr³⁺ ions to be a potential active media for tunable lasers.     

Single crystals growth and absorption spectra of Cr-doped Al2−xInx(WO4)3 solid solutions

The growth conditions of pure and Cr³⁺-doped Al_2−xIn_x(WO₄)₃ single crystals, using top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) technique, have been studied. A series of experiments have been performed at different In concentrations, x=0.0, 0.3, 0.6 and 1.0, as well as at different concentrations of Cr³⁺ (0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0) in at% with respect to the initial total concentration of Al and In in the starting solutions. The basic parameters of the crystal growth are varied over a wide range: seed orientation, speed of rotation, axial and radial temperature differences in the solution and the solution cooling rate. The investigated relations between the basic defects in the crystals and these parameters result in determination of the optimal conditions for growth of defect-free crystals. Distribution coefficients of Al, In and Cr have been determined, so the growth of crystals with given compositions is possible. Values of Dq/B (crystal field strength) for the various crystal compositions are calculated from the optical absorption spectra. The calculated values show that the discussed solid solutions have weak crystal field and are suitable for media with broadband emission spectra.     

Investigation of the crystallization of the system KAl(Cr)(SO4)212 H2O under various conditions

The crystallization of the isomorphous system KAl(Cr)(SO₄)₂ · 12 H₂O under various conditions has been studied. It has been found that the rate of linear crystallization of the face (100) passes through a maximum on the interval of Cr³⁺ concentrations 0.02–0.08 g ions/l which is shifted to the right with increasing temperature. Under the same conditions, the equilibrium coefficient of distribution of the microcomponent D has been determined in single crystals. D decreases with the increase of the Cr³⁺ concentration and the crystallization temperature. These results can be explained with the formation of complexes of Cr³⁺ in the solution which decreases the active concentration of the ion and are selectively adsorbed on the face (100). At the same Cr³⁺ concentration (0.058 g ion/l), the temperature dependence of the rate of growth of the face (100), as well as the influence of supersaturation on the rate of growth of the faces (100) and (111), have been studied. The apparent activation energy of crystallization of the face (100) has been determined to be E = 11.2 Kcal. · mol⁻¹. The data obtained are compared with analogical results for pure KAl(SO₄)₂ 12 H₂O.     

EPR spectra of Cr3+-doped LuNbO4 crystals

Ferroelastic LuNbO₄ single crystals containing 0.3 at. % Cr³⁺ ions have been grown by the floating zone technique, and their EPR spectra have been studied at a frequency of 9.8 GHz at room temperature. The lines on the spectra are due to the transitions caused by three paramagnetic centers formed as a result of the replacement of one isovalent position of a Lu₃₊ ion and two nonisovalent positions of Nb₅₊ions by Cr₃₊-ions. As a result of twinning, the line number is doubled and four principal directions arise along which the same spectra are obtained. The spectra of these centers were described by a spin Hamiltonian with S = 3/2, the D and E parameters ranging from 0.024 to 0.17 cm^?1, and the g-factors g ∥ = 1.75–2.20 and g ⊥ = 1.90–2.13.     

Recharging processes of Cr ions in Mg2SiO4 and Y3Al5O12 crystals under influence of annealing and γ ‐ irradiation

Recharging processes of chromium ions were investigated for Mg₂SiO₄:Mg, Cr single crystals using annealing in O₂ and in air and γ‐irradiation, as compare to YAG :Ca, Cr single crystals. The formation of tetravalent Cr ions in the Mg₂SiO₄ :Mg, Cr is related not only to the initial Cr content in the melt, oxygen partial pressure and O₂‐ vacancy existing in the crystal, but also to the external field such as γ‐irradiation. The additional absorption after γ‐irradiation shows the decrease in intensity of the absorption of Cr³⁺ and Cr⁴⁺ ions in some part of the spectrum and increase in the other giving evidence on recharging effects between Cr³⁺ and Cr⁴⁺. There arises also color centers observed between 380 nm and 570 nm that may participate in energy transfer of any excitation to Cr⁴⁺ giving rise to Cr⁴⁺ emission. Opposite to forsterite crystal, absorption spectrum of YAG:Ca, Cr crystal after γ‐irradiation reveals only increase in the absorption of the Cr bands. The observed behavior of the absorption spectrum of YAG:Ca, Cr crystal under influence of γ‐irradiation suggests that γ‐irradiation ionizes only Cr ions. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Irradiation-induced change of valence of Cr3+ ions doped in alkali sulphates

It is shown by means of investigation of both optical absorption spectra and Roentgen K-lines of chromium doped in LiKSO₄, LiNaSO₄, and Li₂SO₄ · H₂O crystals, that X-irradiation results in change of the impurity charge in a following way: Cr³⁺ + h → Cr⁴, Cr⁴⁺ + h → Cr⁵⁺.     

Studies of EPR g factors for tetragonal and rhombic Cr5+ centers in ferroelectric PbTiO3

The anisotropic g factors (g_x, g_y, g_z) at low temperature and the motionally averaged isotropic g factor at high temperature for two Cr⁵⁺ centers, the tetragonal t‐Cr⁵⁺ center and the rhombic O‐Cr⁵⁺ center, in ferroelectric PbTiO₃ are calculated from the high‐order perturbation formulas based on a two‐mechanism model. In the model, the contributions to g factors from both the crystal‐field (CF) mechanism concerning the CF excited states and the charge‐transfer (CT) mechanism (which is neglected in CF theory) concerning the CT excited states are contained. The calculated results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental values. From the calculations, the defect models of t‐Cr⁵⁺ center (which is attributed to Cr⁵⁺ in the tetragonally‐compressed octahedron caused by Jahn‐Teller effect rather than in the tetragonally‐elongated octahedron in the host PbTiO₃) and O‐Cr⁵⁺ center (which is due to the t‐Cr⁵⁺ center perturbated by the electrical polarization perpendicular to the C₄ axis) are confirmed, and the defect structure of t‐Cr⁵⁺ center is obtained. It is found that in the precise calculations of g factors for the high valence state d¹ ions in crystals, both the contributions due to CF and CT mechanisms should be taken into account. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Diffusion of chromium in chrysoberyl

Cr³⁺ diffusion in chrysoberyl (BeAl₂O₄) irradiated by H⁺ ions and electrons has been studied and compared with diffusion in non-irradiated samples. Chrysoberyl crystals were irradiated with 6 MeV H⁺ ions to fluencies of 1×10¹⁶ cm^–2 for 25 min and with 10 MeV electrons to fluencies of 2×10¹⁷ cm^–2 for 1 h. Three different types of samples, which were doped with Cr³⁺, were annealed in horizontal alumina tube furnaces by 50 K intervals in the temperature range from 1773 to 1923 K for 200 h. Scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM–EDX) was used to measure the diffusion. Arrhenius equations for the diffusion coefficient for Cr³⁺ in the temperature range 1773–1923 K were developed:     

Complex study of the structural and optical homogeneity of lithium niobate crystals

Methods of Raman spectroscopy, laser conoscopy, optical microscopy, and electron spin resonance have been used to study the photorefractive properties and structural and optical homogeneity of the following lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) crystals: nominally pure crystals of congruent composition (LiNbO_3con); LiNbO₃:Cu[0.015 wt %] crystals grown from a melt of congruent composition and nominally pure crystals of stoichiometric composition grown from a melt with 58.6 mol % Li₂O (LiNbO_3st). A small deformation of optical indicatrix and regular microdomain structures of fractal type are revealed for the LiNbO₃:Cu[0.015 wt %]; the microdomain structures may be due to the nonuniform impurity incorporation into the structure. It is shown that oxygen octahedra in the LiNbO₃:Cu[0.015 wt %] crystal are deformed in comparison with the octahedra in LiNbO_3st and LiNbO_3con crystals and that the main and impurity cations are clusterized along the polar axis. It is established that the LiNbO₃:Cu[0.015 wt %] crystal exhibits photorefractive properties not only due to the presence of intrinsic defects with localized electrons, as in the case of LiNbO_3st, but also due to the charge exchange in copper cations (Cu²⁺ → Cu⁺) under illumination.     

Self‐diffraction and edge enhanced effect in the photorefractive crystal (Ca0.28Ba0.72)0.75(Sr0.60Ba0.40)0.25Nb2O6

The optical properties based on Self‐diffraction phenomena and the edge enhanced of optical correlation pattern effect with a Ca²⁺‐doped (Ca_0.28Ba_0.72)_0.75(Sr_0.60Ba_0.40)_0.25Nb₂O₆ (CSBN₇₅) crystals and a He‐Ne laser at 632.8 nm are studied in this paper. The experimental results show that its practical application as photorefractive material is worth further investigation. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Ternary Colquiriite Type Fluorides as Laser Hosts

The Cr³⁺:LiCaAlF₆ (Cr:LiCAF) and Cr³⁺:LiSrAlF₆ (Cr:LiSAF) laser host crystals can be grown by the Czochralski technique. Problems result from the evaporation of lithium-aluminium-fluorides during the growth process and a corresponding stoichiometry shift of the melt towards the CaF₂ (SrF₂) corner of the ternary concentration triangle. Both Cr:LiCAF, and to a lower extend also Cr:LiSAF, contain micron-sized defects that disturb the lasing efficiency heavily. The defects are assumed to be related to water and/or oxygen impurities within the starting materials and growth atmosphere and to peculiarities of the LiF – CaF₂ – AlF₃ ternary phase diagram.