Anomalous Fluorescence Linewidth Behavior inEu3+-Doped Silicate Glass

Abstract

We compare optical-homogeneous-linewidth measurements for the resonant $^{5}D_{0}\ensuremath{-}^{7}F_{0}$ transition of ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{3+}$ -doped silicate glass and YAl${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, using fluorescence line narrowing. The linewidth in the amorphous host is two orders of magnitude larger than in the crystal and exhibits an unusual temperature dependence. This behavior indicates an additional ion-lattice linewidth mechanism probably arising from an interaction between the Eu ions and "disorder modes" in the glass. Possible models are discussed.