Conductivity-dependent cathodoluminescence in BaTiO3, SrTiO3 and TiO2

It is reported that similar cathodoluminescence spectra are excited by an electron beam striking BaTiO₃, SrTiO₃ and TiO₂ ceramics at room temperature. The energy location of the luminescence bands does not depend on various doping or reduction treatments. The luminescence intensity increases with the electron beam current as well as with the conduction electron density. The luminescence is interpreted as a fundamental transition of local character in the TiO₆ octahedron; the conduction electrons localized at the Ti sites in polaron states recombine with the 0–2p valence electron defects. The shape and energy location of the luminescence spectra are qualitatively in accordance with an explanation in terms of a configuration coordinate model.