The complex crystallographic, spectroscopic, and laser properties of ${\mathrm{Dy}}^{3+}$ ions in $\alpha -\mathrm{KY}({\mathrm{WO}}_4{)}_2$ and $\alpha -\mathrm{KGd}({\mathrm{WO}}_4{)}_2$ single crystals are investigated. Individual Stark levels for many of the ${}^{2S+1}{L}_J$ manifolds of ${\mathrm{Dy}}^{3+}$ ${(4f}^9)$ ions in these monoclinic tungstates are obtained from luminescence and absorption spectra up to ≈28 000 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{-}1}$ at ≈15 K. A crystal-field splitting analysis for the majority of these manifolds is performed. The rms deviation between 73 experimental and calculated ${\mathrm{Dy}}^{3+}$ Stark levels for both crystals was ≈10 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{-}1}$. Theoretical calculations of intermanifold intensity parameters are carried out by methods using the Judd-Ofelt approach with regard to interconfiguration interaction. All luminescence channels originating from levels of the metstable ${}^4{F\left(3\right)\mathrm{}}_{9/2}$ state are compared with measured data. Pulsed stimulated emission in the visible range at the wavelengths of two lasing channels ${}^4{\overrightarrow{{F\left(3\right)\mathrm{}}_{9/2}}}^6{H}_{13/2}$ and ${}^4{\overrightarrow{{F\left(3\right)\mathrm{}}_{9/2}}}^6{H}_{11/2}$ of ${\mathrm{Dy}}^{3+}$ ions are excited and identified. On the basis of observed spectroscopic data we determine the peak cross section for all observed induced transitions as well. We conclude that ${\mathrm{Dy}}^{3+}$-doped monoclinic tungstates $\alpha -\mathrm{KGd}({\mathrm{WO}}_4{)}_2$ and $\alpha -\mathrm{KY}({\mathrm{WO}}_4{)}_2$ are very attractive crystalline materials for generating visible laser light.

• Received 30 July 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.65.125108