Photoluminescence, and scintillation/thermoluminescence yields of several Ce3+ and Eu2+ activated borates

Powder samples of the berates YBO3:Ce3+ GdBO3:Ce3+, Li6Y(BO3)(3):Ce3+, LaB3 O6:Ce-3+,Ce- GdB3O6:Ce3+, LaMgB5O10:Ce3+, YMgB5O10:Ce3+, CaLaB7O13:Ce3+, Ca LaB7O13:Eu2+, Ca4YO(BO3)(3):Ce3+ and CaY-OBO3:Eu were studied. The photolum inescence properties of Ce3+ in these compounds are discussed and some of t hem are reported for the first time. The scintillation light yield of the o rthoborates: YBO3:Ce3+, GdBO3:Ce3+ ScBO3:Ce3+ and YAl3B4O12:Ce3+ is of the order of 10,000 pho/MeV. The light yield due to Ce3+ in the other berates i s an order of magnitude lower. In LaB3O6:Ce3+ and LaMgB5O10:Ce3+ a broad em ission band, attributed to self-trapped exciton (STE) emission. is observed under X-ray excitation. The STE light yield of LaB3O6:Ce3+ (0.05%) is 8000 pho/MeV and it is quenched at higher Ce concentrations. Thermoluminescence measurements show that none of these materials has a potential to be utili zed as a thermal neutron storage phosphor, (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.