Luminescence properties and energy transfer processes in YAG:Yb,Er single crystalline films

• Growth of YAG:Yb,Er single crystalline films by LPE method.
• Peculiarities of luminescence of YAG:Yb,Er films with different Er–Yb content.
• Yb–Er energy transfer processes in YAG hosts.

The paper is dedicated to the study of the optical properties of YAG:Yb,Er single-crystalline films (SCF) grown by liquid phase epitaxy. The absorption, cathodoluminescence and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra and photoluminescence decay curves were measured for the SCFs with different doping levels of Er3+ (from 0.6 to 4.2 at.%) and Yb3+ (from 0.1 to 0.6 at.%). The spectra, excited by synchrotron radiation in the fundamental absorption range of the YAG and in the intraionic absorption bands of both dopants, reveal energy transfer from the YAG host to the Er3+ and Yb3+ ions and between these ions.