Spectroscopic study of erbium-activated crystals of double calcium yttrium fluoride Ca0.89Y0.11F2.11:Er3+: I. Intensity of spectra and luminescence kinetics

Ca_0.89Y_0.11F_2.11:Er³⁺ (CYF:Er) crystals with an erbium content of 1–15 at % have been grown. The optical spectra and luminescence kinetics of CYF:Er crystals have been investigated at low (～5 K) and room temperatures. Based on an analysis of the absorption spectra at low temperature, the structure of Stark splitting of erbium levels in CYF:Er crystals is determined. Room-temperature absorption spectra are used to calculate the spectra of absorption cross sections and oscillator strengths of transitions from the erbium ground state to excited multiplets. It is shown that the absorption spectrum of CYF:Er crystals contains broad bands in the ranges of 790–815 and 965–980 nm, which correspond to the range of emission of laser diodes. For the band peaking near 967 nm, the peak absorption cross section is σ _abs ^max = 2.7 × 10^?21 cm². The intensity parameters are determined by the Judd-Ofelt method to be Ω₂ = 1.39 × 10^?20, Ω₄ = 1.34 × 10^?20, and Ω₆ = 2.24 × 10^?20 cm². The radiative transition probabilities, radiative lifetimes, and branching ratios are calculated with these values. The luminescence decay kinetics from excited erbium levels upon selective excitation is investigated and the experimental lifetimes of the 4F _9/2, ⁴ S _3/2, and ⁴ G _11/2 radiative erbium levels are determined. The dependences of multiphonon relaxation rates on the energy gap in CYF:Er crystals are obtained. The rates of nonradiative multiphonon relaxation from radiative erbium levels are determined.