Photon cascade emission in SrAlF₅:Pr³

Abstract

The optical properties of SrAlF5:Pr3 + are studied. Emission measurements up to 1200 nm under blue-light excitation in the3P2 level reveal a large number of emissions all originating from the3P0 level and the1D2 level. Under vacuum ultraviolet excitation in the 4f15d1 bands, emission from the1S0 level, followed by emission from the3P0 level and the1D2 level takes place. This is known as the photon cascade emission process. The excitation spectrum of the1S0 emission was measured and was compared with the excitation spectrum of SrAlF5:Ce3 +. The spectrum for SrAlF5:Pr3 + compared to SrAlF5:Ce3 + is at about 12 240 cm−1 higher energy. A study of the x-ray-excited emission in the temperature region from 100 to 350 K was performed, determining the processes responsible for both1S0 and3P0/1D2 emissions.