Analysis of the Ground Configuration of Trivalent Thulium in Single-Crystal Yttrium Vanadate

An analysis has been made of the optical spectrum of Tm(3+) in YVO4. The approach taken was to describe the Tm(3+) free-ion energy levels as completely as possible and then to describe the effects of the crystal field on these levels. The results gave a new interpretation of the triplet H4 and triplet H5 multiplets and gave g factors in good agreement with the measurements. The effects of the hyperfine interaction and the spin-crystal-field interaction on the energy levels are discussed. (Modified author abstract)