A novel Ho3+/Pr3+/Y3+/Gd3+ multiply doped Na5Lu9F32 mixed
single crystal was successfully grown via a modified Bridgman technique.
The structure of the mixed crystal was characterized by means of X-ray
diffraction and Raman spectra. The impacts of Y3+ and Gd3+ ions on the 2.9 μm emission of Na5Lu9F32 single crystals, which incorporated fixed Ho3+/Pr3+, were investigated systematically with the
aid of the optical spectra and decay curves of fluorescence. The 2.9
μm emission intensity (Ho3+: 5I6 → 5I7) was further heightened upon
gradually introducing both Y3+ and Gd3+ ions
into Ho3+/Pr3+-incorporated single crystals
pumped at 640 nm. The brokenness of ionic quenching clusters of [Ho3+–Ho3+] and the release of more luminescent
ions are in charge of the augment of emission at 2.9 μm by introducing
Gd3+ or Y3+ ions into the Ho3+/Pr3+ codoped single crystals. A value of ∼8.2 × 10–21 cm2 was estimated for the maximum emission
cross section at 2.9 μm of the mixed crystal. The processing
of energy transfer among Ho3+, Pr3+, Y3+, and Gd3+ ions was investigated, and the energy transfer
efficiency for Ho3+: 5I7 →
Pr3+: 3F2 was approximately 57.32%.
The Na5Lu9F32-doped Ho3+/Pr3+/Y3+/Gd3+ mixed crystals may
be a new laser gain medium for 2.9 μm generation because of
their special spectral and physicochemical properties.