Thulium doped monoclinic KLu(WO4)2 single crystals: growth and spectroscopy

This paper presents the crystal growth and optical characterization of thulium-doped KLu(WO4)2 (KLuW). Thulium-doped KLuW macrodefect-free monoclinic single crystals (a*×b×c≈10×7×15 mm3) were grown by the top seeded solution growth slow cooling method with dopant concentrations of 0.5%, 1%, 3% and 5% atomic in solution. The evolution of unit cell parameters in relation with thulium doping was studied by X-ray powder patterns. Thulium energy levels in the KLuW host were determined by 6 K polarized optical absorption. The Judd–Ofelt parameters determined were Ω2=9.01×10-20 cm2, Ω4=1.36×10-20 cm2 and Ω6=1.43×10-20 cm2. The maximum emission cross section for the 1.9 μm emission, calculated by Füchtbauer–Ladenburg method, is 1.75×10-20 cm2, at 1845 nm with E//Nm. The intensity decay time from the emitting levels 1G4 and 3H4 levels in relation to the concentration were studied. For the lowest thulium concentration, the measured decay times from 1G4 and 3H4 emitting levels are 140 μs and 230 μs, respectively.