Judd–Ofelt analysis of spectroscopic properties of Tm3+, Ho3+ doped GdVO4 crystals

Tm3+: GdVO4 and Ho3+: GdVO4 crystals with good optical quality were grown by Czochralski technique. Polarized absorption and unpolarized fluorescence spectra of Tm3+ and Ho3+ in GdVO4 crystals were measured. The Judd–Ofelt (JO) model was applied to obtain the three phenomenological intensity parameters. For Tm3+, Ω2 = 8.16 × 10−20, Ω4 = 2.45 × 10−20, Ω6 = 0.98 × 10−20 (with dimension of cm2). For Ho3+Ω2 = 1.51 × 10−20, Ω4 = 1.61 × 10−20, Ω6 = 1.22 × 10−20 (with dimension of cm2). The radiative probabilities, radiative lifetimes, and branch ratios of Tm3+ and Ho3+ in GdVO4 crystals were then determined. Using the reciprocity method and Fuchtbauer–Ladenberg formula, the stimulated emission cross-sections for some interested transitions, such as (5F4, 5S2) → 5I8 of Ho3+ and 1G4 → 3H6, 3H4 → 3F4 of Tm3+ in GdVO4, were determined and discussed.