Luminescence study of KLuP2O7 doped with Pr3+ ions under different types of excitation

This paper reports the spectroscopic properties of praseodymium-doped potassium lutetium double phosphates, KLuP2O7:Pr3+(1%). Spectra of photoluminescence (PL), PL excitation, X-ray excited luminescence and pulse cathodoluminescence, thermally stimulated luminescence were measured. KLuP2O7:Pr3+ showed Pr3+ emission connected both with high intensity interconfigurational 4f15d1→4f2 transitions (UV bands in region of 250-320 nm), intraconfigurational 4f2→4f2 transitions (weak lines in vision spectral region) and Stocks defect-related luminescence. Upon both UV intra-center and band-to-band excitation with ionizing radiation, emission spectra of KLuP2O7:Pr3+ are dominated by Pr3+ interconfigurational 4f1 5d1→4f2 radiative transitions. Luminescence decay kinetics measurements established decay time τ ≈ 19 ns at room temperature. The study of thermally stimulated luminescence demonstrates effective light storage. Parameters of charge carriers’ traps were calculated: ΔE1 = 1.1 eV (for peak at 352 K) and ΔE2 = 1.3 eV (for peak at 388 K).