The effect of repeated radiative energy transfer on the observed excited-state lifetime τ_obs of a luminescent species in a solid is studied by Monte Carlo simulations. Increasing the sample path length, the reabsorption coefficient, or the luminescence quantum yield significantly lengthens τ_obs relative to its intrinsic value τ₀. This effect is additionally amplified by total internal reflection. Room-temperature lifetimes of ²F_5/2 in YAG:1%Yb³⁺ and ⁴I_11/2 in YLF:5%Er³⁺ were measured in a spherically refractive-index-matched geometry, yielding the low values of 0.9489±0.0006 and 3.75±0.01 ms, respectively. It is concluded that lifetimes obtained from non-refractive-index matched experiments are usually significantly overestimated. The technique presented is easily applicable to room-temperature excited-state lifetime measurements of many luminescent solids.

© 1997 Optical Society of America

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