Spectroscopic analysis of Pr3+-doped CsCdCl3

Abstract Absorption and emission spectra, site selective excitation of the fluorescence experiments have been performed on Pr3+-doped CsCdCl3. A high number of symmetry centers for the rare earth ions have been counted. Most of them were found to be isolated except two centers, which exhibit phonon energy transfers. The fluorescence decay profiles were analyzed by means of a rate equation model with direct and back transfers. The very few observed upconversion effects have been assigned to one-color resonant or quasi-resonant double absorptions in association with phonon assisted transfers. Thus, CsCdCl3, which possesses a structure somewhat similar to the CsCdBr3 one, shows quite different properties due to the lack of upconversion by cross relaxation processes and cooperative effects between the centers.