Luminescence of sol-gel-derived silica doped with terbium-benzoate complex

Various approaches to prepare sol-gel-derived silica doped with luminescent lanthanoid complexes have been already demonstrated in several studies. Th e applicability of these materials as phosphors for practical purposes depe nds on the quantum efficiencies achievable as well as on the excitation cha racteristics. This work describes the excitation spectrum of such hybrid ma terials down to the VUV region and gives quantitative figures for the quant um efficiencies under 254 nm excitation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.