Persistent Spectral Hole Burning in CaF₂:Sm²⁺

Abstract

Persistent spectral hole burning has been observed in CaF2:Sm2+ at 1.6 K. This is an example of a new class of materials exhibiting hole burning. The mechanism responsible is photo-oxidation of Sm2+. Persistent spectral hole burning provides a powerful high-resolution spectroscopic tool and has been proposed as the basis of an information storage system. Previously reported mechanisms for hole burning are photoinduced conformational rearrangements or reorientations, photochemical transformations of organic molecules, and photoinduced electron tunneling in color-center systems. © 1984 Optical Society of America