Growth and optical properties of Nd3+-doped Ba2Na3[B3O6]2F crystals

Publication date: 15 February 2015
Source:Journal of Crystal Growth, Volume 412
Author(s): Vladimir P. Solntsev , Tatyana B. Bekker , Alexander P. Yelisseyev , Aleksey V. Davydov , Nikolay V. Surovtsev , Sergey V. Adichtchev
The Ba2Na3[B3O6]2F single crystals of optical quality were grown. Raman, optical absorption and luminescence spectra of pure and neodymium-doped Ba2Na3[B3O6]2F crystals were studied. Besides a broad band emission near 330nm associated with native defects, the features related to 4f³→4f³ transitions in the Nd³⁺ ions were found both in absorption and luminescence. Ba²⁺ replacement by Nd³⁺ ion in the Ba2Na3[B3O6]2F lattice was established to reduce the symmetry of oxygen surrounding. Na presence in the structure was found to facilitate the Rare Earth impurity incorporation, supposedly because of Na-assisted charge compensation.