Crystal environment of impurity Nd3+ ion in yttrium and scandium orthosilicate crystals.

The ESEEM spectroscopy was used to determine positions of the 143Nd3+ impurity ions in Y2SiO5 single crystal. It is established that neodymium ions substitute yttrium ions in the Y2 positions with seven nearest oxygen ions. Crystal field parameters of 143Nd3+ impurity centers in isotopically pure Y228SiO5 and Sc228SiO5 single crystals were determined using data of CW EPR spectroscopy and the known energy level schemes.