Red emission of PbWO4 crystals

Luminescence characteristics of a large number of undoped and doped PbWO₄ crystals, grown by the Czochralski or Bridgman method, as-grown or annealed in the nitrogen atmosphere or in air, were studied in the 4.2–300 K temperature range. Two types of red emission centres were found. The centres with the emission band, peaking at 4.2 K at 1.57 eV, were observed in most of the crystals studied. The centres with the emission band, peaking at 4.2 K at 1.48 eV, were observed only in the PbWO₄ : Mo⁶⁺, Y³⁺ crystal. It is suggested that incompletely compensated lead vacancies are responsible for the appearance of the red emission.     

Recombination luminescence in lead tungstate scintillating crystals

Room temperature radioluminescence and photoluminescence decay kinetics measurements of Ba-doped PbWO₄ crystals were compared with those of undoped and Mo-doped samples. Photoluminescence decay measurements focus on the coexistence of the immediate (fast) decay having a decay time of a few nanoseconds with slower delayed recombination decay processes. The radioluminescence emission peaking at 500 nm in Ba-doped crystals is similar to that observed in Mo-doped samples. However, photoluminescence of the Ba-doped crystals shows much faster decay kinetics with respect to that of PbWO₄:Mo. Wavelength-resolved thermally stimulated luminescence data (10–300 K) provides complementary information about trapping states and is correlated to photoluminescence decay kinetics.     

PbWO4闪烁晶体的发光动力学模型

在对PbWO₄闪烁晶体的光谱特性、发光衰减及其温度依赖以及热释光的研究基础上,并结合理论计算,提出了PbWO₄晶体发光的动力学模型,给出了PbWO₄晶体的基本能带结构及激子发光中心能态、陷阱能级在能隙中的位置。用此模型可以完整说明PbWO₄的发光过程,特别是导致室温下发光效率低的原因。最后还对其主发射成分蓝、绿发光中心的起源作了简要讨论。     

Influence of the light illumination on thermoluminescence properties of PbWO4

The thermally stimulated properties of PbWO₄ in the temperature range 90–400 K have been investigated on undoped and terbium-doped crystals after X-ray irradiation at 90 K. Doping with terbium changes the concentration of shallow traps, which are responsible for retrapping free electrons and holes. Light illumination can change the distribution of the traps. The optically stimulated luminescence is observed. The influence of light illumination on the TSL curves and emission properties is studied. The possible mechanism of TSL phototransformation is discussed.     

闪烁晶体的发光研究进展

概述了近年来闪烁体发光研究的进展,主要介绍用于未来高能物理实验的新型闪烁体发光机理研究,选取我们在研BaF₂,BaF₂:RE,CeF₃以及PbWO₄中的一些新进展。重点谈及三点:(1)在BaF₂的“价带^→芯带”跃迁发光研究基础上进行稀土(Gd³⁺-Eu³⁺)掺杂时观察到的量子剪裁以及对多光子发光的新思考;(2)CeF₃晶体发光的级联能量传递中,Ce³⁺(290nm发射带)与缺陷发光中心(340nm发射带)间能量传递及其传递效率的温度依赖;(3)PbWO₄晶体的发光中心研究中,提出以“WO₄^-2+O_i”绿光中心替代“WO³+F”中心观点的依据。同时也简介了医用闪烁体的最新进展。     

Electron paramagnetic resonance study of copper impurity charge-states in PbWO4 scintillator

The study of two types of Cu²⁺ centres observed in nominally pure PbWO₄ crystals grown by Bridgman and Czochralski methods was carried out by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). One of centres, called Cu²⁺(I), arises after oxygen compensation, while the second one, called Cu²⁺(II) requires, in addition, infrared illumination at low temperatures, being thermally stable only up to 22–23 K. The EPR spectra of both Cu²⁺ centres are described by rhombic symmetry g-tensors with the Z-principal axis lying close to, or in the (ab) plane of the crystal. It is proposed that in both centres the Cu²⁺ ions substitute for Pb²⁺ ions. The additional reduction of the local crystal-field symmetry is connected with a CuWO₄ wolframite-type lattice distortion for the Cu(I) and a Jahn–Teller distortion of the regular PbWO₄ lattice for the Cu(II). It was also found that either IR irradiation or thermal heating activate the transfer of an electron between two closely spaced Cu²⁺ centres.     

Luminescence study of pure and Fe- or Mo-doped ZnWO4 crystals

ZnWO₄, ZnWO₄:Fe and ZnWO₄:Mo crystals were investigated by the methods of time-resolved spectroscopy in the temperature range of 4.2–300 K. It is shown that the Mo and Fe impurities significantly reduce the light yield of ZnWO₄. The main 2.5 eV emission of ZnWO₄ and the 1.77 eV emission band of ZnWO₄:Mo are shown to originate from the triplet excited state of the WO₆ and MoO₆ complex, respectively. In ZnWO₄:Fe,Mo the MoO₆ emission band is shifted to lower energies due to the perturbing influence of the iron impurity. No perturbing effect of Fe or Mo ions was observed for the main emission of ZnWO₄:Fe and ZnWO₄:Mo. The creation spectrum of self-trapped holes was measured for ZnWO₄, ZnWO₄:Fe and ZnWO₄:Mo crystals in the energy region of 4–30 eV.     

Charge-transfer bands in alkaline-earth fluoride crystals doped by Eu or Y b ions

Absorption, emission and excitation spectra of CaF₂, SrF₂, BaF₂ crystals doped by Y bF₃ or EuF₃ impurities were studied in 1–12 eV spectral region. The intensive absorption broad bands (denoted as CT₁) were observed in all cases just below the 4f–5d absorption region. Less intensive absorption bands, denoted as CT₂, having energies 1.2–1.5 eV lower than those of CT₁, were observed in CaF₂, SrF₂ crystals doped by EuF₃ or Y bF₃ impurities.

High resolution emission spectra of Eu-doped CaF₂ and SrF₂ crystals excited into CT₁ and CT₂ bands were measured. Under excitation into CT₁ bands, all present Eu sites (C_4v, O_h and some aggregates) were observed in emission spectra. While under excitation into CT₂ bands, only the emission of C_4v sites was observed.     

Time-resolved luminescence of complex wide-gap oxide crystals under inner-shell excitation

In order to investigate the soft X-ray energy transformation in oxide detectors the optical spectra of several wide-gap oxide crystals were analyzed. The time-resolved luminescence (2.5–10.5 eV) and luminescence excitation spectra (50–200 and 500–630 eV) as well as decay kinetics of luminescence at 10 and 295 K were recorded using the synchrotron radiation from BW3 channel (HASYLAB, DESY). Several analogous features were discovered in the excitation spectra of both intrinsic self-trapped exciton luminescence and recombination luminescence for BeO, BeAl₂O₄, Be₂SiO₄ and AlPO₄ crystals under inner-shell excitation. Simultaneously, the excitation of Ce³⁺-luminescence in scintillating Be₂La₂O₅-Ce crystals significantly differs.     

The role of alkali ions in the 190 K TSL peak in quartz

The role of alkali ions in the creation of the thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) peak at 190 K in quartz has been investigated by wavelength resolved TSL and thermally stimulated current (TSC) measurements performed on synthetic crystals, both as grown and hydrogen swept, characterised by alkali content of about 1–3 and 0.1 ppm respectively. The 190 K peak has been efficiently produced in as-grown crystals by a double irradiation procedure consisting of a first x-ray irradiation at 90 K followed by heating in the 170–300 K temperature range and a second irradiation at 90 K; this effect has not been observed in the hydrogen swept crystal. Moreover, the study of the spectral composition of the emitted light has shown the existence of two emission bands, one peaking at 450 nm (T<150 K) and the second one evidenced for T>150 K and peaking at around 380 nm.

In as grown samples, TSC peaks at 205, 260 and at around 350 K (composite structure) have been detected: their intensities are much stronger in the as grown crystal and with the electric field oriented along the z-axis indicating that they have an ionic character. By taking into account the mechanism of formation of the [SiO₄/M⁺]⁰ (M⁺=Li⁺, Na⁺) traps (previously found to be responsible for the 190 K TSL peak), the 205 K TSC peak can be attributed to the radiation induced dissociation of alkalis from [AlO₄/M⁺]⁰ defect centres and subsequent migration near to Si sites; on the other hand, the 260 K TSC peak can be related to the subsequent disintegration of [SiO₄/M⁺]⁰ defects involving the migration of alkalis to different ionic traps.

PACS: 78.60.K–61.72.J–42.70.Ce     

Luminescence study of self-trapped holes in pure and Fe- or Mo-doped ZnWO4 crystals

Thermostimulated and photostimulated luminescence of ZnWO₄, ZnWO₄:Fe and ZnWO₄:Mo crystals irradiated at low temperatures by X-rays or UV photons was studied in the temperature range 4.2–300 K in order to clarify the creation and recombination processes of the elementary colour centres. The connection of the luminescence phenomena with the self-trapped holes has been revealed.     

A metastable de-excitation spectroscopy (MDS) study on oxygen adsorption on a polycrystalline zirconium surface

The adsorption of oxygen on a polycrystalline zirconium surface at room temperature has been studied by metastable de-excitation spectroscopy (MDS) in conjunction with UPS and AES. From the analysis of the measured spectra, we have shown the following. (1) At the initial stage of oxygen adsorption (exposure <1.2 L), the surface density of states (SDOS) of zirconium changes little at around the Fermi level (E_F), while it decreases appreciably at 1–2 eV below E_F (E_B=1–2 eV) by oxygen adsorption. (2) The SDOS at E_B=0–2 eV decreases with increasing oxygen exposure at >1.2 L and disappears at >8 L. (3) The oxygen 2p states (E_B=5–8 eV) are localized at the subsurface region at oxygen exposure 0–2 L. (4) The ZrO₂ phase appears at the outermost zirconium surface at around 2 L, then grows with increasing exposure, and finally dominates at >8 L. It is suggested that two different phases (ZrO₂ phase and that in which oxygen occupies subsurface sites) coexist at the outermost surface at 2–8 L.     

Optical constants of Tl4Ga3InSe8 layered single crystals

The optical properties of Tl₄Ga₃InSe₈ layered single crystals have been studied by means of transmission and reflection measurements in the wavelength range of 500–1100 nm. The analysis of the room temperature absorption data revealed the presence of both optical indirect and direct transitions with band gap energies of 1.94 and 2.20 eV, respectively. Transmission measurements carried out in the temperature range of 10–300 K revealed that the rate of change of the indirect band gap with temperature is γ=−4.1×10⁻⁴ eV/K. The absolute zero value of the band gap energy was obtained as E_gi(0)=2.03 eV. The dispersion of the refractive index is discussed in terms of the Wemple–DiDomenico single-effective-oscillator model. The refractive index dispersion parameters: oscillator energy, dispersion energy, oscillator strength and zero-frequency refractive index were found to be 4.10 eV, 23.17 eV, 6.21×10¹³ m⁻² and 2.58, respectively. From X-ray powder diffraction study, the parameters of monoclinic unit cell were determined.     

On-line induced absorption measurement on PbWO4, YAlO3:Ce and CsI scintillating crystals

On-line measured radiation-induced absorption spectra and their kinetics are presented for the doped PbWO₄, YAlO₃:Ce and CsI crystals. In the doubly doped PbWO₄:Mo,Y crystals the saturation level of the induced absorption increased with Mo concentration up to 2750 ppm. With a higher concentration it again gradually decreased. Yttrium co-doping around 100 ppm improved considerably the radiation hardness of Mo-doped PbWO₄. Characteristic recovery time of these crystals was about 30 min. Positive influence of Zr⁺⁴ co-doping on characteristics of a set of YAlO₃:Ce samples resulted in decrease in the induced absorption intensity. The presence of very slow recovery processes was in good agreement with thermoluminescence characteristics above room temperature reported earlier. An absorption band round 420 nm appeared in as-grown CsI crystals doped with Tl, and was related to the oxygen contamination.     

Adsorption and reactions of CH2I2 on Ru(001) surface

The adsorption and dissociation of CH₂I₂ were studied at 110 K with the aim of generating CH₂ species on the Ru(001) surface. The methods used included X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and work function measurements. Adsorption of CH₂I₂ is characterized by a work function decrease (0.96 eV at monolayer), indicating that adsorbed CH₂I₂ has a positive outward dipole moment. Three adsorption states were distinguished: a multilayer (T_p=200 K), a weakly bonded state (T_p=220 K) and an irreversibly adsorbed state. A new feature is the formation of CH₃I, which desorbs with T_p=160 K. The adsorption of CH₂I₂ at 110 K is dissociative at submonolayer, but molecular at higher coverages. Dissociation of the monolayer to CH₂ and I proceeded at 198–230 K, as indicated by a shift in the I(3d_5/2) binding energy from 620.6 eV to 619.9 eV. A fraction of adsorbed CH₂ is self-hydrogenated into CH₄ (T_p=220 K), and another one is coupled to di-σ-bonded ethylene, which — instead of desorption — is converted to ethylidyne at 220–300 K. Illumination of the adsorbed CH₂I₂ initiated the dissociation of CH₂I₂ monolayer even at 110 K, and affected the reaction pathways of CH₂.     

Thermally and optically stimulated radiative processes in LiBaF3 crystals

In LiBaF₃ crystals both valence–core transitions (5.4–6.5 eV) and so-called self-trapped exciton luminescence (about 4.3 eV) are important for practical application. Here, we present a study of 4.3 eV luminescence under photo- and thermostimulation after X-irradiation of undoped LiBaF₃ crystals at various temperatures. Optically stimulated luminescence as a result of electron recombination with both self-trapped holes and holes localized at some defects, were observed after X-irradiation below 130 K and that of electron recombination with defect-localized holes was observed after X-irradiation above 130 K. The spectra of thermo-stimulated luminescence (TSL) contain a broad band about 4 eV related to the electron (high-energy side) or hole (low-energy side) recombination depending on TSL peak temperature.     

Scintillation properties of PbWO4 crystals doped with the rare-earth ions

In PbWO₄(PWO) crystals grown by Czochralski method the influence of atmosphere of the growth (O₂, air) and doping with the rare-earth ions of different types (A³⁺=Lu³⁺, Gd³⁺,Tb³⁺,Eu³⁺ as well as doubly doped A³⁺–Li⁺) on light yield and luminescence decay were analyzed. PWO scintillator with the ultra-fast (τ=0.5 ns) main component of luminescence decay (87% of total light yield) was obtained using the O₂-growth atmosphere and doping by Eu₂O₃ at a concentration of 5000 ppm. It is concluded that the decrease of decay constant of the main scintillation component is the result of the resonant energy transfer between the centers of “blue” PWO luminescence (λ_max=420 nm) and the 4f–4f-transitions of Eu³⁺ ions in this spectral region.     

Effects of type of radiation on glow curve and thermoluminescence emission spectrum of CaF2:Tm

Thermoluminescence emission spectra of CaF₂:Tm (TLD-300) samples irradiated with 48 keV X-rays ⁶⁰Co gamma rays, 4.5 MeV alpha particles and 15 MeV neutrons were measured in the 300–650 K temperature region. Seven emission bands were observed of which the one in the infrared (at 803 nm) is very intense. The emission bands can be assigned to ¹D, ¹G, ³F and ³H levels characteristic for Tm³⁺ de-excitation in a cubic field. All observed lines in the spectrum are due to 4f-4f transitions. The spectra undergo remarkable changes in intensity when the temperature is raised from room temperature up to 350°C, while the number of the emission bands remains constant. The glow curve structure is both dependent on emission wavelength and the type of radiation. Evidence has been found that the trapping structures responsible for glow peaks 2 and 3 alter under the influence of high LET () radiation. For glow peaks 4–6 the filling of the traps alters with the type of radiation. The observations can be explained assuming a TL process involving several hole trapping centres but with only one luminescent centre (Tm³⁺) active at all temperatures.     

The electronic structures of epitaxial CrSi2 film prepared on Si(111) substrate

The valence band (VB) electronic structures of CrSi₂ were studied by synchrotron radiation photoemission. Overall features of the VB photoemission spectra measured at room temperature (RT) and 20 K by using synchrotron radiation (photon energy, hν=20–120 eV) were similar. Two characteristic emissions were observed corresponding to the bonding and the nonbonding Cr-d partial density of states (PDOS) in the CrSi₂. The onset of the VB photoemission measured at 20 K was located at about 0.32 eV below Fermi level, due to the energy band gap of CrSi₂ more than 0.32 eV.     

Excited-state dynamics of Yb in LiCaAlF6 single crystal

Single crystals of Yb²⁺-doped LiCaAlF₆ were grown by the Czochralski technique under CF₄ atmosphere. Photoluminescence, thermally stimulated luminescence and decay kinetics of Yb²⁺ centre in the LiCaAlF₆ host were measured in the 4–300 K temperature interval. Phenomenological two excited-state-level model is introduced to obtain quantitative characteristics of the excited state dynamics of Yb²⁺. The role of Yb²⁺ centre in trapping processes is discussed. Moreover, defect centres related to LiCaAlF₆ host were found.