Origin of the 420 nm Absorption Band and Effect of Doping Fluorine in PbWO4 Crystals

The electronic structures for three types of PbW04 (PWO) crystals, the perfect PWO, the PWO containing lead vacancy (PWO-Vpb) and fluorine doped PWO crystal (F^-：PWO), are systematically studied within the framework of density functional theory. The computational results show that the Pb 6s state situates below the valence band so that Pb^2 ions are unable to trap holes forming Pb^3 or Pb^4 to compensate for VPb^2-. The hole-trappers in PWO-Vpb are O^2- ions. Two of the longer-bond O^2- ions share a hole forming O2^3-, and four of the longer-bond oxygen ions trap two holes forming an associated color centre [O2^3--Vpb-O2^3-], which may be the origin of the 42Onto absorption band. It is also concluded that the doping of F^- would reduce the band gap and F^- ions substituting for O^2- can effectively restrict the formation of [O2^3--Vpb-O2^3-] and weaken the 42Onm absorption band and hence enhance the scintillation property of PWO.