IMPURITY-INDUCED THERMALLY STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE OF KMGF3-CE3+ CRYSTALS

The thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) of KMgF3 doped with Ce3+ h as been measured using a high-sensitivity TSL spectrometer that measur es the emitted intensity as a function of both temperature and wavelen gth. TSL peaks have been detected at 80, 170 degrees C and in the regi ons of 300-400 degrees C (heating rate 1 degrees C/s). The TSL emissio ns are at 270 and 360 nm, the latter emission showing a strong depende nce on Ce3+ concentration. The correlation of these emissions with rec ently published photoluminescence data and the behaviour of the TSL pe aks as a function of Ce3+ concentration allows an interpretation of th e responsible defects, in terms of two types of substitutional replace ment of K+ ions with Ce3+ impurities. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.