Growth conditions, structure, Raman characterization and optical properties of Sm-doped (LuxGd1−x)2SiO5 single crystals grown by the Czochralski method

The (LuxGd0.995−xSm0.005)2SiO5 single crystals with x=0.095, 0.11, 0.15, 0.17, 0.19 0.35 and 0.5 were grown by the Czochralski method. Structural properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction measurements. Unit cell parameters and cell volume were determined by the Rietveld refinement of the collected X-ray powder spectra. The segregation features between Gd and Lu were estimated and analyzed. Vibrational properties of the solid solutions were analyzed on the basis of polarized Raman spectra acquired at 300–875 K temperature range. Absorption and emission spectra of Sm3+ ion in the crystals with different composition were analyzed in the terms of dopant energy levels, oscillator strengths of transitions and spectral features of luminescence bands in the visible range. Both structural and optical investigations revealed that change of Lu3+ content in (LuxGd0.995−xSm0.005)2SiO5 solid solution crystals induces the phase transition from C2/c (Lu2SiO5) to P21/c (Gd2SiO5) structure. It was found that the break of LSO to GSO-type structure occurs at 0.15