Properties of the Energy Bands, Judd-Ofelt Parameters and the Fluorescence of Neodymium Chloride (NdCl3) in Methanol, Iso-propanol and Butanol Solvents.

Abstract

Absorption bands of neodymium chloride (NdCl3) dissolved in methanol, iso-propanol and butanol organic solvents at room temperature have been recorded in the ultraviolet-visible and near infrared regions between 190 and 1100nm. Adopting a free-ion Hamiltonian we have calculated and assigned the energy multiplets of the 4f (3) electronic configuration of the Nd(3+) ion, and thereby the best-fit parameters are estimated. We have measured the oscillator strengths of the observed absorptions and using the experimentally measured oscillator strengths the three Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Ω2, Ω4 and Ω6 have been derived. Hence we have calculated the line strengths and the oscillator strengths for electric-dipole transitions. An intense fluorescence emission is found for (4)F3/2 → (4)I9/2 transition at 873nm, upon excitation with 581nm. The fluorescence characteristics are also investigated by evaluating the spontaneous transition probability (A), luminescence branching ratio (β), radiative lifetime (τ) and the stimulated emission cross section (σ).