Abstract

The allowed radiative interconfigurational d-f transitions of the rare earth ions in the wide band gap dielectric crystals offers the possibility that these materials can be used for generating coherent VUV and UV radiation when they are pumped with F₂ molecular lasers at 157 nm. Therefore the search for new rare earth activated wide band gap dielectric crystals for potential VUV and UV laser sources is of great importance. We report here on the laser induced fluorescence spectroscopic features of the rare earth trivalent ions of Nd, Ho, Tm, Tb, Pr, Er in LiYF₄, and LiLuF₄ host dielectric crystals in the VUV and UV region of the spectrum under laser pumping of these crystals with the F₂ molecular laser at 157 nm.

© 1992 Optical Society of America