Chemical and Optical Studies of Samarium Doped CaF₂ Type Single Crystals

Single crystals of CaF2 and Ca1-xSrxF2 were grown by the Czochralski technique and doped with varying concentrations of samarium. Complete solid solution was found in the CaF2-SrF2 pseudobinary system with a minimum near 50% CaF2 at 1330°C ± 10°C. The concentration of Sm +2 depended on the melt concentrations of SmF3 and Sm metal, and the samarium segregation coefficient did not change significantly with samarium concentration. The fluorescence efficiency of Sm +2 as a function of Sm +2 concentration appeared to go to a broad maximum at about 0.1% Sm +2. The fluorescent emission in Ca1-xSrxF2: Sm +2 showed pronounced inhomogeneous line broadening. © 1965, The Electrochemical Society, Inc. All rights reserved.