X-ray excited optical luminescence of Ce-doped BaAl2O4

The luminescence properties of Ce³⁺ in BaAl₂O₄ are reported. The results of simultaneous measurements of XEOL and XAS in the X-ray energy range that includes the Ba L_II,III-edges and Ce L_III edge are shown. The XEOL yield increases as the energy of the photons increases. The radioluminescence spectra, taken from 200 to 1100 nm, showed broad emission bands corresponding to 5d¹→²F_5/2, ²F_7/2 transitions of Ce³⁺ when incorporated into two nonequivalent Ba sites. The lifetime of the light emission was also measured using the single bunch operation mode at the Brazilian National Synchrotron Laboratory (LNLS), and BaAl₂O₄:Ce³⁺ showed single exponential decay time component of about 44.3 ns.