D. Millers

Luminescence center excited state absorption in tungstates

The excited state absorption of intrinsic luminescence center (self-trapped exciton) in tungstates (CaWO4, ZnWO4, PbWO4 and CdWO4) was studied. The transient absorption and luminescence spectra, decay kinetics and lifetime dependencies on temperature have been measured. The model of self-trapped exciton and nature of observed absorption bands were discussed.

Luminescence and transient absorption in ZnWO4 and ZnWO4-Fe crystals

Abstract The transient absorption spectra and relaxation kinetics under pulse electron beam excitation in ZnWO 4 and ZnWO 4 –Fe, as well as luminescence spectra and decay kinetics, were studied. It is shown that a fraction of transient absorption is due to luminescence center excited state. The energy transfer from intrinsic excitations to the defect or impurity states is not efficient. The role of Fe-impurities in the decay process is discussed.

The role of Nb in intensity increase of Er ion upconversion luminescence in zirconia

It is found that Nb co-doping increases the luminescence and upconversion luminescence intensity in rare earth doped zirconia. Er and Yb-doped nanocrystalline samples with or without Nb co-doping were prepared by sol-gel method and thermally annealed to check for the impact of phase transition on luminescence properties. Phase composition and grain sizes were examined by X-ray diffraction; the morphology was checked by scanning- and high-resolution transmission electron microscopes. Both steady-state and time-resolved luminescence were studied. Comparison of samples with different oxygen vacancy concentrations and different Nb concentrations confirmed the known assumption that oxygen vacancies are the main agents for tetragonal or cubic phase stabilization. The oxygen vacancies quench the upconversion luminescence; however, they also prevent agglomeration of rare-earth ions and/or displacement of rare-earth ions to grain surfaces. It is found that co-doping with Nb ions significantly (>20 times) increases upconversion luminescence intensity. Hence, ZrO2:Er:Yb:Nb nanocrystals may show promise for upconversion applications.

The model of recombination process in TlBr

The time-resolved luminescence was used as a tool in the study of recombination process in several undoped TlBr crystals. The spectra and decay kinetics observed under electron beam excitation were investigated. Observation of several luminescence bands with different decay rates shows that more than one recombination center is involved and the recombination process is quite complicated. The band at ∼2.5 eV is dominant under 10 ns excitation pulse (electron beam or nitrogen laser pulses). The results of short-lived absorption and luminescence are used for analysis of possible mechanisms of recombination processes in TlBr.

Transient absorption and luminescence of LiNbO3 and KNbO3

Abstract The results of time-resolved optical absorption spectra in congruent and stoichiometric LiNbO3 as well as KNbO3 crystals are reported. The role of different polaron types in transient absoiption and luminescence spectra and decay kinetics are discussed.

The study of time-resolved absorption and luminescence in PbWO4 crystals

Abstract The transient absorption and luminescence under pulsed electron beam excitation were studied for undoped and La3+ doped PbWO4 crystals. The absorption band at ∼1.0 eV is suggested to be due to self-trapped electrons and the absorption band at 3.5 eV may be due to self-trapped holes. The formation of luminescence centers via electron–hole recombination is affected by La3+ in doped crystals. The large fraction of electrons and holes undergoes thermostimulated recombination within geminate pairs and the spatial separation of geminate pairs components is important in recombination process. The intrinsic (blue) luminescence arises in this recombination. The mechanism of La3+ influence on recombination is discussed.

Comparison of ZrO2:Y nanocrystals and macroscopic single crystal luminescence

The luminescence spectra of a tetragonally structured ZrO2:Y single crystal and nanocrystals were compared. It was found that the number of luminescence centers contributed to the spectra. The excitation of luminescence within the band gap region led to different luminescence spectra for the single crystal and nanocrystal samples, whereas recombinative luminescence spectra were the same for both samples. The origin of this difference is that in the nanocrystals, even under excitation within the band gap, charge carriers were created. Zirconium- oxygen complexes distorted by intrinsic defects were proposed to be the luminescence centres responsible for the wide luminescence band observed.

Theoretical and experimental study of primary radiation defects in KNbO3 perovskite crystals

Abstract The results of large-scale computer simulations of point defects – F-type electron centers and hole polarons bound to a potassium vacancy – in perovskite KNbO 3 crystals are presented. One-site polarons and two-site (molecular) polarons are expected to coexist, both are characterized by close absorption energies around 1 eV. The transient absorption spectra and decay kinetics observed after ns-pulsed electron beam irradiation have been measured for different KNbO 3 crystals. The relaxation kinetics of the optical density vary considerably for different impurity concentrations and sample stoichiometries. Experimental data are discussed in the light of the presented calculations.

Time-resolved luminescence of nanocrystalline inorganic complex oxides

Two types of complex nanosized oxides – cerium doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG) and CaWO4– have been studied by means of time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. Comparative study of time-resolve luminescence characteristics of cerium doped YAG single crystal, nanopowders and nanoceramic as well as for CaWO4 macro- and nanocrystals has been done. Two components in the decay kinetic of Ce3+ related emission in YAG nanocrystals were detected and it was suggested that a different energy transfer rate to volume and surface Ce3+ ions takes place. It is shown that the segregation of Ce3+ ions near nanoparticles surface and/or dislocation lines plays a crucial role in degradation of light yield of cerium related luminescence in YAG nanocrystals. Time-resolved properties of sol-gel synthesized CaWO4 nanocrystals depends strongly on the synthesis rout. It was shown that shallow traps have a strong influence on the luminescence decay times of nanosized CaWO4.

The role of Fe and Cu dopants in electron–hole trapping and relaxation process in congruent LiNbO3

Abstract The transient optical absorption and kinetics of absorption decay is studied in undoped, Fe doped, and Cu doped LiNbO 3 crystals irradiated by pulsed electron beam. The 1.6 eV band of electron polaron trapped at antisite niobium was observed in all crystal samples. The nature of centers responsible for transient absorption is discussed. Electron polarons are shown to be less stable in LiNbO 3 :Fe compared with LiNbO 3 :Cu and undoped LiNbO 3 . It is suggested that a major part of electrons and holes created by irradiation are trapped in the vicinity of dopants.