Strain-mediated ion-ion interaction in rare-earth-doped solids

It was recently shown that the optical excitation of rare-earth ions produces a local change of the host matrix shape, attributed to a change of the rare-earth ion's electronic orbital geometry. In this work we investigate the consequences of this piezo-orbital backaction and show from a macroscopic model how it yields a disregarded ion-ion interaction mediated by mechanical strain. This interaction scales as 1/r(3), similarly to the other archetypal ion-ion interactions, namely electric and magnetic dipole-dipole interactions. We quantitatively assess and compare the magnitude of these three interactions from the angle of the instantaneous spectral diffusion mechanism, and re-examine the scientific literature in a range of rare-earth doped systems in the light of this generally underestimated contribution.

Automated summary

It was found that the excitation of rare-earth ions by light results in local changes in the host matrix shape due to alterations in the electronic orbital geometry of the ions. This study investigates the consequences of this piezo-orbital backaction and reveals a previously disregarded ion-ion interaction mediated by mechanical strain. The magnitude of this interaction, which scales as 1/r(3) similar to electric and magnetic dipole-dipole interactions, is quantitatively assessed and compared to reassess the existing literature on rare-earth doped systems.