Parametric analysis of the energy level scheme of Ho3+ in HoOCl

The optical UV-vis-NIR as well as high-resolution FT-IR absorption spectra of the tetragonal HoOCl were measured at selected temperatures between 9 and 300 K. The luminescence spectra of LaOCl: Ho3+ and GdOCl : Ho3+ were obtained at 77 K and room temperature. The energy level scheme of Ho3+ (4f(10) electron configuration) in HoOCl was simulated with a Hamiltonian of 20 parameters. The procedure consisted of a simultaneous diagonalization of the free ion and crystal field (c.f.) interactions with a untruncated set of wave functions for the CS, point symmetry of the Ho3+ site in REOCl. Good agreement was achieved (rms deviation: 20 cm(-1)) between 181 experimental and calculated energy level values. The results were found consistent with those for Pr3+,Nd3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Tm3+ in respective REOCl matrices. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.