Synthesis of YSAG:Er ceramics and the study of the scandium impact in the dodecahedral and octahedral garnet sites on the Er3+ energy structure

Abstract

Optical ceramic’ samples based on yttrium-erbium-scandium-aluminum garnet with transmission coefficients over 80% in the wavelength range from 1050 to 2500 nm were manufactured. The effects of bands' broadening and shifting in the luminescence and transmittance spectra depending on the scandium concentration in the dodecahedral and octahedral sites were detected. Based on the luminescence and absorption spectra analysis, the consistent patterns of the 23 Stark levels energy changes belonging to the 4S3/2, 4I11/2, 4I13/2, and 4I15/2 multiplets’ of Er3+(4f11) cations were determined. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that introducing Sc3+ into the dodecahedral sites leads to more significant deformations of the YSAG:Er crystal field than in the octahedral one.