Absorption spectra of bulk aluminum nitride crystals doped with Er3+ ions
Yu. V. Zhilyaev, Viktor V. Zelenin, E. N. Mokhov +3 more
This Letter presents results of analysis of the absorption spectra of AlN:Er 3+ bulk crystals. In the spectral of 370–700 nm, absorption lines responsible for intraconfiguration electron transition from the ground state 4 I 15/2 to the excited states of Er 3+ ions are found. Transitions to the levels of the 4 F 9/2 , 2 H 11/2 , and 4 G 11/2 states at 2 K are studied in detail. The number of observed lines for these transitions fully agrees with that theoretically possible for f – f electron transitions in Er 3+ ions found in a noncubic crystal field. The small width of the observed lines and their number indicate that erbium ions displace mostly one regular crystal position. Most probably, Er 3+ occupies the position of Al. Energy positions of excited states for the considered transitions are determined.
Technical Physics Letters•Feb 1, 2016•1 citation