One-color two-photon excitation spectra of the
7F0${\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}^{5}$
D0 and
7F0${\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}^{5}$
D2 transitions of
Sm2+ in
SrF2 have been measured at low temperature and their dependences upon photon polarization analyzed. Linewidths on the order of 0.2, 0.6, and 1.0 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ are obtained for the
7F0${\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}^{5}$
D0(
A1g),
7F0${\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}^{5}$
D2(
Eg), and
7F0${\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}^{5}$
D2(
T2g) Stark components observed at 15 K, respectively. The
7F0${\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}^{5}$
D0(
A1g) transition is observed to be isotropic within experimental error, while the
Eg and
T2g components of the
7F0${\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}^{5}$
D2 transition exhibit the anisotropic patterns expected in
Oh symmetry. Calculations of two-photon transition intensities are conducted within the framework of the phenomenological model previously used for
Sm2+ in MClF (M=Ba,Sr) and
Eu3+ in
LuPO4, where the rare-earth ion occupies sites of
C4v and
D2d symmetries, respectively. The present results are compared and contrasted with those obtained in these previous cases.
A comprehensive report and analysis of our observations of numerous parity-allowed direct two-photon transitions within the
4f7 configuration of the
Gd3+ ion is presented. The experimental technique is ultraviolet fluorescence detection following optical excitation with a dye-laser beam. Previous results and analyses are extended in three ways. (1) The intensities and polarization dependence of individual Stark components, in addition to integrated multiplet intensities, are reported and analyzed for
Gd3+:La
F3. In those cases ($^{8}S_{\frac{7}{2}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{6}P_{\frac{5}{2}},^{6}D_{\frac{9}{2},\frac{3}{2},\frac{5}{2}}$) where a second-order theory of two-photon absorption adequately explains the integrated intensity, it also (with the exception of
6D29) explains the Stark-component intensities. The remaining transitions are anomalously strong, and in some cases violate the angular momentum selection rules $\ensuremath{\Delta}L,\ensuremath{\Delta}J\ensuremath{\le}2$ and exhibit strong anisotropies, in contradiction to the second-order theory. It is shown that introduction of third- and fourth-order contributions involving spin-orbit and/or crystal-field interactions among levels of the
4f65d configuration, which serve as intermediate states, can account for both the integrated and Stark-component intensities of these transitions. (2) The strong anisotropy observed for the transitions $^{8}S_{\frac{7}{2}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{6}P_{\frac{3}{2}},^{6}I_{J},^{6}D_{\frac{1}{2}}$ in
Gd3+:La
F3 is explained quantitatively as a polarization-dependent interference between contributions to the intensity which are comparable in magnitude. Interference is destructive for $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{E}\ensuremath{\parallel}\stackrel{^}{z}$ and constructive for $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{E}\ensuremath{\perp}\stackrel{^}{z}$, creating an order-of-magnitude contrast in the line strength for the two polarizations. (3) A two-photon excitation spectrum of
Gd3+ in aqueous solution is reported. Linewidths comparable to those of room-temperature solids and Stark splittings which suggest a low-symmetry quasistatic environment are observed.
The recently demonstrated process of photon-gated spectral hole burning has been used to measure the small frequency shifts necessary for the determination of linear Stark and nonlinear Zeeman coefficients of the 4
f6 7F0A1\ensuremath{\rightarrow}
5D0A1,
5D1A2, and
5D1E transitions of
Sm2+ in BaClF. The nonlinear Zeeman coefficients obtained in this way agree, to better than 12%, with those calculated assuming free-ion 4
f6 wave functions for
Sm2+. The Stark splitting coefficients (0.068--0.074 MHz/V ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$) are smaller than the few previously reported for
fn\ensuremath{\rightarrow}
fn transitions of rare-earth ions.
Symmetry adaptation techniques are applied to the determination of the intensity of two-photon absorption transitions, between Stark levels of configurations with opposite parities, for transition ions in finite symmetry environments. The equivalence between third-order mechanisms and second- plus first-order mechanisms is clearly established. A compact formula is derived for the intensity of a two-photon transition between two levels with well-defined symmetries. A set of (selection) rules which controls the number of intensity parameters for inter-configurational transitions is given. The formalism is illustrated with the case of an ion with 4f configuration in tetragonal symmetry.
Abstract Theoretical and experimental investigations are made of two‐photon absorption spectra of trivalent rare‐earth ions in crystals. Effective cross‐sections, selection rules, and relative intensities of the components are found. The most intensive two‐photon transitions are established. Two‐photon excitation spectra of luminescence of Er3+ and Ho3+ ions in CaF2 are obtained and effective excitation cross‐sections are measured using a tunable dye laser (715 to 850 nm). It is shown that the spectra have a peculiar structure which differs considerably from that of the one‐photon absorption spectra. The experimental results agree with theory. It is established that one of the levels in Ho3+ is the level 5G6 rather than 3K7 usually assumed.
The absorption of a single photon by the simultaneous excitation of two rare-earth ions was first reported by Varsanyi and Dieke in 1961.1 D. L. Dexter explained this unusual observation by including the electron-electron interactions (that also give rise to energy transfer) between the rare earth ions with perturbation theory.2 In the 70's Dexter became interested in electronic-vibrational coupling. A theory of two-center optical transitions was developed for a rare-earth ion weakly coupled to a high energy, internal vibrational mode of a near-lying ion.3 Using theoretical techniques that had been developed for rare-earth ion pairs, intensities and selection rules could be determined.