Crystal growth and spectral properties of pure and Co-doped Mg3B2O6 crystal

Novel pure and cobalt-doped magnesium borate crystals (Mg₃B₂O₆) have been grown successfully by the Czochralski technique for the first time. Crystal growth, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, absorption spectrum, fluorescence spectrum as well as fluorescence decay curve of Co²⁺:Mg₃B₂O₆ (MBO) were described. From the absorption peaks for the octahedral Co²⁺ ions, the crystal-field parameter Dq and the Racah parameter B were estimated to be 943.3 cm⁻¹ and 821.6 cm⁻¹, respectively. The fluorescence lifetime of the transition ⁴T₁(⁴P) → ⁴T₂ centered at 717 nm was measured to be 9.68 ms.