Luminescence of Ce3 +/Tb3 + ions in lithium–magnesium aluminosilicate glasses

Novel Ce3 +-doped, Tb3 +-doped, Ce3 +/Tb3 +-codoped 30Li2O10MgO5Al2O355SiO2 glass scintillators with relatively short emission feature have been synthesized by melt-quenching method. Effects of Ce3 + ion concentrations on the photoluminescence (PL) properties of Ce3 +-doped glasses and sensitization phenomenon of Ce3 + ions on PL and cathode luminescence (CL) properties of Tb3 + ions in Ce3 +/Tb3 +-codoped glasses have been investigated by excitation and emission spectroscopy. Results suggest the existence of cerium concentration quenching phenomenon, and the redshift of UV absorption edge and emission spectra of Ce3 +-doped glasses with the increase of cerium concentration. The energy transfer from Ce3 + ions to Tb3 + ions and concentration quenching involving Tb3 + ions in Ce3 +/Tb3 +-codoped glasses occurred. The optimal doping concentrations of Ce2O3 and Tb2O3 in investigated Ce3 +/Tb3 +-codoped glasses are 0.6 mol% and 0.8 mol%, respectively. The CL integral luminescence efficiency of Ce3 +/Tb3 +-codoped glass is about 5 times stronger than that of commercial Bi4Ge3O12(BGO) crystal, which indicates the potential applications of the lithium–magnesium aluminosilicate glasses doped with Ce3 + ions and Tb3 + ions in X-ray, γ-ray and thermal neutron detection.