Crystal growth, spectral properties and Judd-Ofelt analysis of Pr3+:LaMgAl11O19

Pr3+-doped LaMgAl11O19 (LMA) crystals have been successfully grown by the Czochralski method with different concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 10.0 mol%. Crystalline quality and the phonon energy were determined by X-ray diffraction and Raman measurements. Spectroscopic parameters based on absorption spectra were systematically calculated using the modified Judd-Ofelt theory. The fluorescence results indicate a large dependence on the factor of doping concentration. The 3P0→3F2 transition red laser channel has the largest emission cross section at 10.7 × 10−20 cm2 for 5.0 mol% Pr:LMA. The fluorescence lifetime of the 3P0 energy level is determined to be 32.6 μs at room temperature with a quantum efficiency of 82.9% for a 5.0 mol% Pr3+-doped sample. The overall spectral properties confirm that Pr:LMA is a promising candidate for visible laser operation.