Annihilation of the persistent luminescence of MAl2O4:Eu by Sm co-doping

The calcium aluminates doped with the Eu²⁺ and Nd³⁺ ions, CaAl₂O₄:Eu²⁺,Nd³⁺, are a novel and efficient persistent luminescence (i.e. afterglow) material. The Nd³⁺ ions were found to enhance the persistent luminescence. Some other R³⁺ co-dopants had similar or opposite, though weaker, effect. The Sm³⁺ (and Yb³⁺) ions suppressed almost completely the persistent luminescence and thermoluminescence of the Eu²⁺ ion. From the UV-excited luminescence and persistent luminescence spectra it was found that the Eu²⁺ ion acts as a luminescent centre with luminescence at the blue (λ_max=440 nm) region. The Sm³⁺ ion was reduced to the divalent state. The thermoluminescence glow curves of the CaAl₂O₄:Eu²⁺,Sm³⁺ material showed that the high-temperature glow peaks, i.e. deep traps, were suppressed almost completely. The Nd:YAG laser-excited high-resolution photoluminescence of the Sm²⁺ ion confirmed that the Eu²⁺ ion occupies only one Ca²⁺ site. Only weak perturbations were observed in the Sm²⁺ site due to the changes in the environment of the Sm²⁺ site.