Pr3+-doped Tl3PbBr5: a non-hygroscopic, non-linear and low-energy phonon single crystal for the mid-infrared laser application

Abstract

This letter presents the optical and spectroscopic properties of a new low-energy phonon, moisture-resistant and non-linear Pr3+:Tl3PbBr5 single crystal. Though only weakly doped with Pr3+ ions, centimetre-size and good-quality single crystals could be grown and analyzed. Absorption and emission spectra as well as fluorescence kinetics were registered in the mid-infrared spectral domain. Strong luminescence at around 4–5.5 μm was observed and assigned to the 3H5→3H4 transition of the Pr3+ ions. The high value of the resulting emission cross section associated with the long lifetime of the 3H5 emitting level indicates that this material could be a good candidate for the development of a broadly tunable mid-infrared solid-state laser source.