Spectroscopic properties of nonlinear NdSc_(3)(BO_(3))_(4)

摘要

NdSc_(3)(BO_(3))_(4) (NdSB) can be grown as a nonlinear optical crystal having hexagonal (huntite) structure. The crystal has important spectroscopic properties suitable for various applications in photonics. The observed crystal-field splitting of the energy levels of Nd~(3+) (4f~(3)) has been identified based on analyses of the fluorescence, absorption, and excitation spectra obtained at 13, 80, and 300 K. A detailed crystal-field splitting calculation in which initial crystal-field parameters B_(nm) are established from lattice-sum calculations gives good agreement to the observed splitting. Experimental branching ratios and fluorescence lifetimes are reported and are compared with calculated values. The spectroscopic properties of Nd~(3+) in NdSB are also compared with values obtained for Nd~(3+) as a dopant in the nonlinear crystal YAl_(3)(BO_(3))_(4).