Photoionization related phenomena in doped insulators: The role of inversion site symmetry of impurity centers

The light induced ionization of impurity centers and defects in insulating crystals results in many phenomena such as charge transfer optical transitions in absorption spectra, photoconductivity, the photovoltaic effect, optical bleaching, and photochemical persistent spectral hole burning. This paper considers specific effects in photoionization related phenomena which are closely connected with inversion symmetry of impurity centers. These recently observed effects include (a) the drastic dependence of the photoionization energy on impurity sites lacking inversion symmetry (Li2Ge7O15:Cr3+), (b) the direct dependence of the sign of the photovoltaic effect on the polarity of impurity sites in doped pyroelectric crystals (LiNbO3:Cr3+), and (c) the anomalous broadening of photochemical persistent spectral holes in zero-phonon spectra of inversionless impurity centers (CaS:Eu).