Attribution of the near-UV absorption bands of YAG : Ce to Ce3+-ions by MCD and ODMR

Abstract

The electron spin resonance of Ce3+-ions in Y3Al5O12 has been observed optically (ODMR) via the magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) of absorption. In the accessible spectral region down to 200 nm, three weak MCD bands at 227, 270, and 338 nm and a single strong band centered at 458.5 nm can definitely be attributed to Ce3+ by the tagged-MCD method. The positions and widths of these MCD bands agree with those seen in absorption and which have been assigned in literature to 4f <-> 5d transitions. The equal shape of MCD and absorption bands is explained by the properties of the excited 5d crystal field states. The observed dependence of the MCD on orientation is discussed qualitatively. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.