Energy (frequency) of phonons is the main parameter which determines ratio between probabilities of radiative and radiationless transitions in luminescence. Single crystals of double chlorides KPb2C15 and bromides KPb2Br5 , which are formed by heavy ions and have a low energy phonon spectrum (h? <200 and 150 cm-1, respectively), of optical quality were obtained using the Bridgmen-Stockbarger technique. We studied the optical spectra and luminescence kinetics of RE —doped crystals (RE= Pr3+, Nd3+, Tb3+, Ho3+, Er3+ etc). Intensity parameters were determined by the Judd-Ofelt method, radiative and non-radiative transition probabilities were calculated. It was shown that low multiphonon relaxation rate in these crystals together with high values of radiative probabilities leads to the evidence of high intensity luminescence in spectral domain from 360 to 9000 nm. These features make these crystals promising for practical applications as active media for UV, VIS and mid-IR solid state lasers and amplifiers with laser diode pumping.
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