Crystal growth and spectral analysis of Dy 3+ and Er 3+ doped KPb 2 Cl 5 as a mid‐infrared laser crystal

This paper reports crystal growth and optical characteristics of dysprosium (Dy 3+ ) and erbium (Er 3+ ) doped mid‐infrared laser crystal ternary‐potassium‐lead‐chloride (KPb 2 Cl 5 ). Two transparent crystals with good optical quality have been grown successfully by using the Bridgman technique,the largest crystal size reaches up to ∅10×60mm 2 . Measurements of X‐ray diffraction(XRD) and absorption spectra were carried out. Based on Judd‐Ofelt theory, the intensity parameters Ω t (t=2,4,6), the experimental and theoretical oscillator strengths have been obtained.The intensity parameters Ω t (t=2,4,6) of Er 3+ :KPb 2 Cl 5 were calculated to be Ω 2 =5.10×10 ‐20 cm 2 , Ω 4 =1.25×10 ‐20 cm 2 , Ω 6 =0.83×10 ‐20 cm 2 , and the values for Dy 3+ :KPb 2 Cl 5 were calculated to be Ω 2 =6.26×10 ‐20 cm 2 , Ω 4 =2.45×10 ‐20 cm 2 , Ω 6 =0.04×10 ‐20 cm 2 respectively. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)