Near-infrared luminescence and spectral anomaly in PLZT ceramics doped with Nd3+, Er3+, Yb3+ and Cr5+ ions at low temperatures

Luminescence spectral properties of PLZT(91/65/35) ceramics doped with various rare earth (III) ions and chromium (III) ions in the near-infrared spectral region are reported in order to investigate structural disorder and interaction with the ferroelectric host. PLZT pellets doped with Nd3+, Er3+, and Yb3+ are found to give sharp luminescence at room temperature and lower temperatures down to 10 K. Temperature dependence of luminescence and decay profiles of PLZT: Nd3+ show a structural anomaly at 160 K. Luminescence spectra of PLZT: Nd3+ and Pr3+ are perturbed by reabsorption and visible emission band of the PLZT host, Crystal field splitting in Yb3+ ions is considered to elucidate sire occupancy in the amorphous ceramics. NIR luminescence form PLZT:Cr5+ is found at 10,000 cm(-1) as a broad band, Near-infrared luminescence due to f-f and d-d transitions are found to have a high efficiency up to room temperature (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.