Temperature dependence of the local mode in the vibronic spectrum of SrTiO3:Cr3+

The local vibrational mode exhibited by chromium impurity ions in strontium titanate has been investigated using vibronic spectroscopy. The temperature dependent characteristics of the mode are attributed to anharmonic interactions with lattice phonons. Line broadening contributions are made by both a decomposition mechanism and inelastic phonon scattering. Elastic phonon scattering processes can explain the line shift while multiphonon emission causes the integrated intensity to decrease. The results are compared with previous local mode investigations made on alkali halides by i.r. absorption spectroscopy.