Preparation of high-purity LiF, YF3, and YbF3 for laser refrigeration

Markus P. Hehlen; William L. Boncher; Seth D. Melgaard; Michael W. Blair; Robert A. Jackson; Thomas E. Littleford; Steven P. Love

doi:10.1117/12.2039547

19 February 2014 Preparation of high-purity LiF, YF₃, and YbF₃ for laser refrigeration

Markus P. Hehlen, William L. Boncher, Seth D. Melgaard, Michael W. Blair, Robert A. Jackson, Thomas E. Littleford, Steven P. Love

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9000, Laser Refrigeration of Solids VII; 900004 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2039547
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2014, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The role of transition-metal impurities in Yb³⁺-doped YLiF4 (YLF) laser-cooling crystals is studied. Divalent 3d transition-metal ions, in particular Fe²⁺, are found to have strong absorptions at the laser cooling pump wavelength and degrade the cooling efficiency by introducing background absorption. A set of eight substitutional and chargecompensated defects that form upon introduction of 1+, 2+, and 3+ transition-metal ions into the YLF crystal lattice is proposed. A calculation of solution energies for each defect type and for a range of 3d ions is carried out. It indicates that divalent 3d ions preferentially substitute for Y³⁺ accompanied by a fluoride vacancy for charge compensation. An electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study of a YLF crystal identifies Fe²⁺ in the crystal lattice, in agreement with the elemental analysis and the computational results. A strategy for purifying the YF₃, LiF, and YbF₃ starting materials for the YLF:Yb crystal growth is discussed. Chelate-assisted solvent extraction purification with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) for Y, Li, and Yb as well as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for Li was carried out.

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Markus P. Hehlen, William L. Boncher, Seth D. Melgaard, Michael W. Blair, Robert A. Jackson, Thomas E. Littleford, and Steven P. Love "Preparation of high-purity LiF, YF₃, and YbF₃ for laser refrigeration", Proc. SPIE 9000, Laser Refrigeration of Solids VII, 900004 (19 February 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2039547

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