Energy transfer between Gd3+ and Tb3+ in phosphate glass

The phosphate glass doped with Gd3+, Tb3+ and Gd3+/Tb3+ were prepared by high temperature melting. The photo-luminescence behavior of Gd3+ and Tb3+ in phosphate glass were investigated by absorption, excitation, and emission spectroscopy. Energy transfer between Gd3+ and Tb3+ in phosphate glass was studied, and it was found that there were two energy transfer mechanisms between Gd3+ and Tb3+ in phosphate glass: one was from 4f7 level of Gd3+ to the 4f8 level of Tb3+, and the other was from 5d level of Tb3+ to 4f7 level of Gd3+. The new findings would be beneficial for the study of Tb3+-doped scintillating phosphate glass.