The UAB Research Foundation (the University of Alabama at Birmingham)

William A Sibley

Sergey B Mirov

Disclosed is the use of Sc.sup.2+ based active crystalline luminescent media for laser systems, tunable in the UV-visible spectral range. The crystalline media are Sc-doped alkali-earth-halide crystals such as: (1) alkali-earth-halide combinations, such as MeF.sub.2, MeCl.sub.2,crystals; (2) mixed alkali-earth metal fluorides and chlorides, such as MeFCl, M.sub.x Me.sub.1-x F.sub.2 and M.sub.x Me.sub.1-x Cl.sub.2 crystals; and (3) complex fluoride crystals; wherein M and Me are Ca, Sr, Ba or Mg. These crystals have Sc.sup.2+ ion impurities providing stable optical centers that yield advantageous luminescent properties. The base crystal structure utilized determines the luminescent emission spectrum for the Sc.sup.2+ optical centers. By manipulating the base crystal, the maxima of the absorption and emission bands may be altered from UV-blue to red in the optical spectrum. The Sc.sup.2+ active crystalline luminescent media are initially doped with trivalent Sc.sup.3+ ions during crystal growth. The crystals are then subjected to subsequent processing, such as ionizing irradiation, additive calcining coloration, or electrolytic coloration, to transform Sc.sup.3+ ion impurities into an Sc.sup.2+ electron configuration.

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Homewood, AL, United States of America

William A Sibley