Abstract

The study of the optical properties of actinide ions is important both because of the potential to discover new optical devices and to test theories that have developed for lanthanide ions. Optical transitions occur between 5fⁿ orbitals, which have properties similar to the 4fⁿ states of the lanthanides. The wave functions of the 5fⁿ states have a greater spatial extent that the 4fⁿ states, so the interaction with the host is stronger in actinides than in lanthanide ions. Thus, we should observe faster nonradiative decay rates.

© 1992 Optical Society of America