Trivalent Er and Sm ions in fluorochlorozirconate glasses: optical properties and X‐ray luminescence

The optical properties and X-ray luminescence of fluorochlorozirconate glasses and glass-ceramics with composition 53% ZrF4, 20% NaF, 3% AlF3, 3% LaF3, 1% SmF3, (20- x)% BaF2 and x% BaCl2 with x varying from 0% to 19% and doped by the addition of ErCl3 or SmF3 have been investigated. The glasses show absorption and emission bands typical for trivalent Er3+ and Sm3+ ions. The samples doped with Sm showed X-ray stimulated luminescence while those doped with Er gave no response. The annealing of samples at temperatures 250-290 °C increases the X-ray stimulated luminescence while there were no changes in optical absorption and photoluminescence. The observed effects are explained in terms of changes in the host glass and the enhancement of excitation transfer from the glass to embedded Sm3+ ions (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)