LAUSR

Abstract This work reports on optical spectra of Na5Lu9F32 single crystals doped with various Er3+ concentrations from 0.5 to 5 mol%. In our improved Bridgman method, the X-ray powder diffractions were investigated and optical parameters were also calculated by the Judd–Ofelt theory. Results showed that Er3+ ions entered the Lu3+ sites successfully without causing any obvious peak changes, and the doping concentration of Er3+ had important influence on the Er3+ local structure in Na5Lu9F32 crystals. The maximum emission intensities of ~1.5 and ~2.7 μm were obtained in present research when the doping concentration of Er3+ were 4 and 5 mol%, respectively, under the excitation of 980 nm LD. In these doping concentration, the maximum emission cross-sections were calculated to be 1.37 × 10−20 cm2 (~1.5 μm) and 2.1 × 10−20 cm2 (~2.7 μm). The gain cross-section at 2.7 μm was also estimated according to the absorption and emission cross section spectra. All these spectroscopic characterizations suggested that this fluoride crystal would possess promising applications in infrared lasers.