Photoluminescence and radioluminescence of pure and Ce3+ activated Na3Gd(PO4)2

Abstract The spectroscopic properties of Na 3 Gd(PO 4 ) 2 and Na 3 Gd(PO 4 ) 2 :Ce 3+ phosphors in the VUV–UV spectral range were investigated. Five excitation bands of Ce 3+ ions at Gd 3+ sites are observed at wavelengths of 205, 246, 260, 292, and 321 nm. Doublet Ce 3+ 5d → 4f emission bands are observed at 341 and 365 nm with a decay constant τ 1/ e around 26 ns. The X-ray excited luminescence of Na 3 Gd 0.99 Ce 0.01 (PO 4 ) 2 at room temperature shows a photon yield of ∼17,000 photons/MeV of absorbed X-ray energy.