Luminescence spectra and crystal field calculation of Pr3+ ion in crystal LiYF4

Abstract

Luminescence of LiYF4: Pr in the visible and near ultraviolet region is investigated. In the visible region, the emissions observed were attributed to intra-4f2 -configuration transitions. It has been shown that these transitions take place predominantly from 3 P0 level and nonradiative relaxation rate between 3 P0 and 1D2 is weak even at room temperature. The emission and excitation bands observed in the ultraviolet region were assigned to 4f2 4f5d interconfigurational transitions. The energy levels of Pr3 4f2 configuration are fitted by using the crystal field method. The set of free-ion and crystal field parameters corresponding to the best fits allow to reproduce satisfactorily the experimental spectra.