Role of Al3+ or Eu3+ on thermoluminescence of Al3+- and/or Eu3+-doped SiO2 crystals

Although SiO2 crystals have been used in electroluminescence devices and thermoluminescence (TL) dosimeters, the emission mechanism of TL has not yet been clearly explained. Recently, as we could get amorphous and highly pure SiO2 prepared by the sol–gel method, we have investigated the TL emission mechanism using Al3+- and/or Eu3+-doped SiO2 crystalline samples prepared by the heat-treatment under much lower temperature that the melting point of SiO2. The TL spectrum of the Eu3+-doped sample displayed several peaks, including two main peaks due to the electron transitions from 5D2 to 7F5 (ca. 570 nm) and from 5D0 to 7F2 (ca. 610 nm). As doping concentration increased, all the peak intensities reduced from maximum values except that due to the electron transition from 5D0 to 7F2. These observations are thought to result from a cross-relaxation process due to the lack of inversion symmetry at the Eu3+ site.