PHOTOLUMINESCENCE FROM CU ACTIVATED GLASS PREPARED BY SPRAY-PYROLYSIS

Photoluminescent copper activated glass has been prepared by the spray pyrolysis technique at atmospheric pressure using air as carrier gas. The Cu source is an aqueous solution of CuCl2 sprayed at relatively l ow substrate temperature, (420-510 degrees C). Rutherford backscatteri ng measurements show that the copper diffuses into the glass substrate . The photoluminescence spectra from these samples show a peak at abou t 500 nm, The intensity of this peak is strongly dependent on substrat e temperature during deposition and on deposition time. This light emi ssion is however, relatively independent of the solution flow rate whi ch determines the amount of Cu reaching the glass surface during the p reparation process. A Cu+ center is suggested as a possible source of the luminescence emission observed in these samples. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.