Bridgman crystal growth and spectral properties of Er doped PbWO4 as stimulated Raman crystals

► Er:PWO crystals with the size of Φ20×100mm have been grown by Bridgman method. ► The intrinsic luminescence of PWO benefits the visible emission of Er3+ ions. ► The SRS gain coefficient of PWO crystal increases with the doping of Er3+ ions. ► We report a Er:PWO crystal might be act as laser and Raman crystal simultaneously. Several Er doped (0.2at%, 0.5at%, and 1.0at%) PbWO4 single crystals were grown by Bridgman method with the size of Φ20×100mm. The absorption spectra of Er:PWO samples were measured to investigate the spectral properties of Er3+ ions according to Judd-Ofelt theory. The phenomenological intensity parameters Ωλ were fitted to calculate the spectral parameters of several radiative transitions of Er3+ ions, and the possibility of 4I13/2→4I15/2 transition at about 1.5μm of Er3+ ions in PWO crystal was also discussed. The energy transfer from PWO matrix to Er3+ ions was investigated based on the photoluminescence spectra, and the frequency shifting effect of Er3+ ions on PWO crystal was discussed according to the spontaneous Raman spectra. The 1.5μm fluorescence spectra of different Er:PWO samples were measured under the excitation at 980nm.