Segregation and twinning in the rare-earth doped KPb₂Cl ₅ laser crystals

Matias Velázquez (1) , J.-F. Marucco (2) , P. Mounaix (3) , Olivier Perez (4) , Alban Ferrier (5) , Richard Moncorgé (5)

1 ICMCB - Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux
2 LEMHE - Laboratoire d'étude des matériaux hors équilibre
3 CPMOH - Centre de physique moléculaire optique et hertzienne
4 CRISMAT - Laboratoire de cristallographie et sciences des matériaux
5 CIRIL - Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche Ions Lasers

We present the Er³⁺:KPb₂Cl₅ lattice parameters thermal expansion and twinning characterization, pure KPb ₂Cl₅ crystals room temperature static dielectric constant measurements, and equilibrium segregation coefficients determination of Er ³⁺,Ho³⁺, and Pr³⁺ defects in KPb ₂Cl₅. The two main current limitations which still hinder the development of this crystal as a laser material, namely, the Er³⁺ cations segregation and low solubility limit as well as the crystal twinning, are discussed.

Mots clés: Rare earth; Crystal; Laser

Domaines: Matériaux

Matias Velázquez, J.-F. Marucco, P. Mounaix, Olivier Perez, Alban Ferrier, et al.. Segregation and twinning in the rare-earth doped KPb₂Cl ₅ laser crystals. Crystal Growth & Design, 2009, 9 (4), pp.1949-1955. ⟨10.1021/cg801252t⟩. ⟨hal-00389241⟩