Selective laser spectroscopy of a highly dispersed Bi4Ge3O12 scintillator doped with Pr3+ ions

• Published in: Optical materials 2022-06, Vol.128, p.112330, Article 112330
• Main Authors: Alimov, Olimkhon, Doroshenko, Maxim, Egorysheva, Anna, Gajtko, Olga, Pierpoint, Kseniya, Shodiev, Hasan, Veselova, Varvara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bi4Ge3O12 crystals; Energy transfer; Fluorescence; Kinetics decay; Laser spectroscopy; Radioactive transitions; Time-resolved spectroscopy
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2022.112330

The optical properties of a highly dispersed bismuth orthogermanate powder Bi4Ge3O12: Pr3+ (HDP_BGO: Pr3+) were studied at Т = 300 K. The fluorescence of undoped HDP_BGO under ultraviolet (UV) excitation (λexc = 266 nm) was shown to result from Frenkel excitons (GeO44−, BiO69−). The HDP_BGO fluorescence decay kinetics under UV excitation had a complex decay form similar to that of BGO single crystal and was a sum of four exponentials with lifetimes τ1, 2, 3, 4– 0.16/0.30/0.70/2.7 μs respectively. Two types of Pr3+ ions optical centers with lifetimes of ∼5.0 and 85 μs have been determined in a HDP_BGO: Pr3+. The resonance energy transfer of the electronic excitation from the HDP_BGO to Pr3+ions was identified. The effect of Pr3+ ions on the HDP_BGO fluorescence lifetime reduction from 160 to 35 ns was established. •A new highly dispersed Bi4Ge3O12 powder, promising for LED phosphors and scintillators, has been proposed.•It is shown that the optical properties of a BGO powder are similar to those of a BGO crystal.•The effect of Pr3+ ions on the BGO fluorescence properties was demonstrated.