Recombination processes related to Eu2+ energy level position in ionic CaxCd1-xF2 crystals

Abstract

We study efficiency of autoionization and recombination transitions for europium in Ca_xCd_1-xF₂ host lattice depending on the energy level position of Eu²⁺ 4f⁶5d¹(e) excited states in respect to the conduction band (CB) states. From photoluminescence (PL) and absorption measurements we conclude that for x in the range of 1 - 0.65 thermalization within the 4f⁶5d¹(e) multiplet is faster than the appropriate autoionization transition. For x > 0.65, when all the excited 4f⁶5d¹ states are degenerate with the CB autoionization is immediate, Eu²⁺ intra-ion emission is quenched and a new Eu-related emission appears, which we tentatively assign to a radiative capture emission of hot nonequilibrium electrons.