High resolution spectroscopy to investigate impurity traces in YAB single crystals
✍ Scribed by M. Mazzera; A. Baraldi; E. Buffagni; R. Capelletti; I. Földvári
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2011
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 370 KB
- Volume
- 46
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0232-1300
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
The work explores the feasibility of high resolution (as fine as 0.02 cm^‐1^) Fourier transform spectroscopy applied at 9 K in the 500‐25000 cm^‐1^ range to detect traces of unwanted impurities, mainly rare earths (RE^3+^) in crystals: the system chosen is YAl~3~(BO~3~)~4~ (YAB). Weak traces of RE^3+^ (Nd, Dy, Er, Tm, Yb), but also of Cr^3+^ and OH^‐^, were successfully monitored by comparing the spectra of YAB samples under examination with those intentionally doped with a given ion. The analysis performed on a variety of samples shows how Cr^3+^, Nd^3+^, and Yb^3+^ are the most frequent unwanted dopants and can provide suggestions to the crystal growers about the performances of different crystal growth lines. According to a preliminary evaluation, the Er^3+^ traces detection limit is as low as 1‐2×10^‐4^ mol% in 1 cm thick samples. The advantages of the method, which is sample non‐destructive, are discussed in comparison with those currently applied. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)