Indian J. Phys. 72A(2), 107-116 (1998) IJP A - an international journal Optical properties of Pr3* doped glasses, effect of host lattice Brajesh Sharma, Akshaya Kumar and S B Rai Laser and Spectroscopy Laboratory, Department of Physics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, India Received 25 November 1997, accepted 23 December 1997 Abstract : Glass base effect on optical absorption and luminescence properties of Pr3* doped glasses have been studied in different hosts using modified J-0 model proposed by Kornienko et al Using modified J-0 intensity parameters (12^ ) radiative properties (A, Ay-and /?%) and life times (rf) of the emitting levels V q . 3/> i and have been calculated and compared for different lattices. Theoretical results for oscillator strength obtained using this model show better agreement with experimental values. Keywords : Pr3* doped glasses, optical properties, effect of host lattice PACS Nos. : 78.66 Jg, 78.60 Ya 1. Introduction The observed electric dipole transitions of the electronic configuration 4 f 2 of Pi3* occur mainly from the excited states 3 Po, i ,2 and to the ground and low lying excited states [1|. Compared to the optical 4/" transitions of other rare earths ions, the electric dipole transitions 3P o . i,2 —> 3^4 of Pi3'1 ' exhibit short decay times of about few p,s. In several technical applications, .such as Scintillators, fast luminescence is required. So Pr3+ is best suited as a dopant in X-ray conversion detectors for modern X-ray computed tomography [2]. Transitions from the 3P012 levels are also used in phosphers. The other predominant transition -» 3//4 of Pr3* has a much larger decay time and laser action has been observed for this transition in PrCl3 [3] and PrP50 14 [4] etc. Smart et al [5] have reported that Pr3* doped fluoride fibers exhibit lasing action in orange and red regions of spectrum when pumped with a Ti-Sapphire laser at 1010 and 835 nm’s. Upconversion has also been demonstrated for Pr3+ ion in borate, fluoride and phosphate glasses [6], The fluorescence quenching and decay of Pr3* ion in different glass hosts have also been studied [7], © 19981ACS