Luminescence of trivalent rare earth ions in the yttrium aluminum borate non-linear laser crystal

Single crystals of YAl3(BO3)(4) doped with the rare earth ions Sm3+, Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, Tm3+ and Yb3+ were grown using the flux growth technique. Luminescence spectra and decay curves were recorded in the visible range at room and low temperatures. The observed transitions were assigned and analysed on the basis of group theory for the D-3 point symmetry. Evidence for the presence of non-equivalent centres has been found for Yb3+ and possibly-for Sm3+ and Dy3+ doped crystal