Growth and Optical Properties of Li2B4O7 Single Crystals Pure and Doped with Yb, Co and Mn Ions for Nonlinear Applications

D. Podgórskaa, S.M. Kaczmareka, W. Drozdowskib, M. Berkowskia and A. Worsztynowicza aInstitute of Physics, Technical University of Szczecin, 48 Piastów Str., 70-310 Szczecin, Poland bInstitute of Physics, N. Copernicus University, 5 Grudziądzka Str., 87-100 Toruń, Poland

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Received: 23 08 2004; revised version: 29 10 2004; in final form: 04 02 2005;

The paper reports on the growth conditions of Li2B4O7 single crystals in both pure and Yb, Co, Mn doped systems. The crystals were grown by the Czochralski method using an intentional concentration of the above-mentioned ions at a level of 0.5 mol.%. The pure and Mn-doped crystals were found to be highly transparent and clear. The crystals doped with Yb2O3 had a lot of precipitations making them opaque. The Co-doped crystals were purple-blue in colour and highly transparent. The growth of Yb and Co doped Li2B4O7 crystals was reported for the first time in this paper. Absorption was measured in the range of 200 to 3200 nm, moreover analysis of changes in the absorption spectrum of γ-irradiated pure and doped Li2B4O7 crystals was performed. Some thermoluminescence properties were measured, e.g. energies and lifetimes of the traps of different charge carriers occurring in the crystals at low temperatures.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.107.507 PACS numbers: 42.25.Bs, 42.70.Mp, 81.10.Fq