Optical Spectroscopy of YPO4 Single Crystals Doped with Ho3+

Crystal field absorption and emission spectra originated by 5I8->5F5 transitions, due to Ho3+ (1% molar fraction) in a YPO4 single crystal, were investigated in the 15000 to 16000 cm-1 range. Fourier Transform high resolution absorption measurements, performed in the 9 to 300 K range, and photoluminescence, monitored at 10K upon 540nm excitation, supplied the sublevel separations within both 5I8 and 5F5 manifolds. The sublevel positions were compared to those calculated by diagonalization of the full 4f-configuration matrix in the framework of a single-ion model. The results are discussed also in relation with experimental data previously reported for similar systems containing Ho3+.JRC.E.6-Actinides researc