Luminescence and energy transfer in TbAl3B4O12

An investigation of the luminescence properties of TbAl₃B₄O₁₂ in the temperature region 1.4–300 K is reported. Laser site-selection and time-resolution techniques were used.The results show that energy migration among Tb³⁺ ions on the regular crystallographic sites occurs. The transfer characteristics at room temperature are consistent with a diffusion-limited transfer process to Mo³⁺ quenching centres. The diffusion constant and the critical transfer distance for Tb³⁺ → Mo³⁺ transfer are derived. The rate of diffusion increases for decreasing temperature. At about 60 K a transition from diffusion-limited transfer to trapping-limited transfer occurs. This behaviour is due to the variation in the diffusion constant with temperature. In the temperature region below 60 K transfer to Tb³⁺ traps is observed. The intensity of the emission from the traps increases exponentially with decreasing temperature. However, the overall transfer rate to Mo³⁺ and traps remains roughly constant. A simple model including time-independent transfer rates and back transfer from traps to intrinsic Tb³⁺ ions is proposed to explain the results. The rates of transfer to Mo³⁺ and traps are obtained.