Laser site-selective spectroscopy of Eu3+ ions doped Y4Al2O9

Eu3+ doped Y4Al2O9 (YAM) crystals were prepared by the micro-pulling down method. Optical-absorption and laser-selective-excitation techniques along with the luminescence decays have been used to reveal that Eu3+ ions in YAM occupy three distinct sites, which were characterized and discussed. The Stark energy levels of Eu3+ at three different sites in YAM were assigned from selectively excited emission spectra at 10 K. The intensity ratio of forced electric dipole (5D0 → 7F2) and magnetic dipole (5D0 → 7F1) transitions was discussed in order to obtain information about the degree of asymmetry of the luminescent centers. These results were confirmed by the luminescence lifetime measurements. The temperature dependent photo-luminescence spectra indicated that there is no energy transfer between different sites in the 10-300 K range.