Red-Emitting Cr[sup.3+] on α-Al[sub.2]O[sub.3]:Cr Spheres Obtained in Seconds Using Laser Processing

Cr-doped Al[sub.2]O[sub.3] spheres with strong red emission were produced using a simple laser processing approach with a 50 W continuous CO[sub.2] laser. Structural characterization revealed that the produced spheres were monophasic, comprising the α-Al[sub.2]O[sub.3] phase. Photoluminescence (PL) studies indicated that the observed red emission originates from multiple Cr[sup.3+] optical centers being dominated by the [sup.2]E → [sup.4]A[sub.2] transition (R-lines), with a further contribution from the parity and spin forbidden [sup.2]T[sub.1] → [sup.4]A[sub.2] transition (R′-lines). The identification of additional radiative recombination from chromium ion pairs (N-lines) evidences that the produced samples are heavily doped. As such, energy transfer processes between the different chromium optical centers are seen to take place, as suggested by the lifetime decay analysis. PL excitation revealed that the room temperature luminescence is preferentially populated via the spin-allowed [sup.4]A[sub.2] → [sup.4]T[sub.2],[sup.4]T[sub.1] transitions and by the parity and spin-forbidden [sup.4]A[sub.2] → [sup.2]T[sub.2] (B-lines), [sup.2]T[sub.1] (R′-lines)[sub.,] [sup.2]E (R-lines). Such results demonstrate that the present synthesis method is able to deliver high-optical-quality Al[sub.2]O[sub.3]:Cr crystals in a fast and simple way, with potential interest for optical, sensing, or lasing applications.