Optical properties of Pr ions in silver halide crystals in the middle infrared spectral range

Abstract The spectroscopy of AgCl x Br 1− x crystals doped with Pr 3+ ions was investigated in the mid-IR. The absorption, luminescence emission, and the kinetic parameters were measured over a broad temperature range. We calculated the important optical parameters for Pr:AgBr and Pr:AgCl crystals using the Judd–Ofelt approximation. These included the J–O parameters, radiative lifetimes and quantum efficiencies. The measurements and the calculations indicated the doped silver halide crystals would be good candidates for forming solid state mid-IR lasers. The doped silver halide crystal can be extruded to form optical fibers with good transmission in the mid-IR. These crystals would be excellent candidate for the fabrication of mid-IR fiber lasers.