Homogeneous line width in a zinc borate glass activated by Eu 3+

Abstract

In this work we report on the temperature depedence of the homogeneous line width (Γ h) in 4ZnO · 3B 2O 3:Eu 3+ glass in the region between 30 K and room temperature. The time resolved resonant fluorescence line narrowing technique was applied to the 7F 0 ↔ 5D 0 transition of Eu 3+. We obtain that Γ h follows the commonly found behaviour T 2 in the whole range of temperature (30–300 K). The Γ h is comparable to that measured in borate glasses with a small amount of network modifier. This result, together with a linear increase of Γ h with the excitation energy within the inhomogeneous profile, is indicative of a specific local environment around the Eu 3+ ion in the zinc borate glass.