Luminescence dynamics of YAl3(BO3)4:Sm3+ crystals

YAl3(BO3)4 crystals doped with Sm3+ were grown from potassium trimolybdate flux. Their absorption and emission spectra were measured at room temperature. The Judd–Ofelt parametrization scheme has been applied to the analysis of the room temperature absorption spectra. The emission decay profiles were measured at 77 and 298 K on differently concentrated crystals in order to obtain information on the excited states dynamics. The calculated radiative lifetime of the 4G5/2 state is 2.3 ms, and it is reasonably consistent with the experimental results. The analysis of the concentration and temperature effects on the decay curves allowed a reliable understanding of the energy transfer processes responsible for the non radiative decay of the emitting excited level in the investigated material.