Broadband near-infrared luminescence of Cr+3 in the elpasolite lattices Cs2NaInCl6, Cs2NaYCl6, and Cs2NaYBr6

The broadband luminescence of isolated Cr+3 ions in the title lattices is investigated. The 4T2g lowest excited state is found to undergo Jahn–Teller distortion in the eg coordinate, in addition to expanding along the a1g. Quantitative determination of these displacements is made by analysis of extremely rich fine structure, the Ham quenched spin-orbit splitting of the electronic origins, and the Stokes shifts. The Jahn–Teller effect is found to influence the temperature dependence of lifetimes at less than 50 K. In the yttrium containing hosts, nonradiative deactivation of the 4T2g is observed above 200 K. Analysis of lifetime data with four models for nonradiative decay indicates that the active vibrations are again the a1g and eg. The trends observed among the host materials are rationalized on the basis of the freedom of the 4T2g to relax along the a1g and eg directions.