Spectroscopic Properties of Pb2+-Doped BaF2 Crystals

Various concentrations of PbF2-doped BaF2 crystals were grown by the Bridgman method using a shaped graphite heater. The room temperature optical absorption spectra showed two UV absorption bands (labeled A and D), characteristic of the Pb2+ ions. The structure of the bands was analyzed using the Gaussian multi-peak fitting. The distribution of the Pb2+ ions along the crystals and the effective segregation coefficient were studied using the optical absorption method. The obtained effective segregation coefficient was >1. The Pb2+ ions were not uniformly distributed along the samples. High intensity emission bands were observed in the near UV domain and the visible region.