Crystal growth and spectroscopic analysis of Ho,Eu:GdScO3 crystal for 3 μm mid-infrared emission

Ho3+ and Eu3+ co-doping GdScO3 crystal was successfully grown by special EFG method. The spectroscopic properties of the crystal were measured and analyzed. The absorption cross section was calculated to be 2.027 × 10−20 cm2 at 1161 nm. The J-O theory intensity parameters Ωt (t = 2, 4, 6), radiative transition rates, fluorescence branching ratios and radiative lifetimes were calculated. The Ho,Eu:GdScO3 crystal has very strong emission at 2869 nm and the emission cross section was 13.524 × 10−21 cm2. The fluorescence lifetimes of the 5I7 and 5I6 levels were measured to be 4.457 ms and 1.265 ms. Confirmed that Eu3+ can be used as an effective deactivation ion of Ho3+ in GdScO3 crystal. All those results show that the Ho,Eu:GdScO3 crystal would be a potential laser material for ∼3 μm mid-infrared region.