X-ray diffraction study of the origin of the 410 nm emission band in Eu-doped NaCl

Abstract

An X-ray diffraction study was carried out, together with luminescence measurements of europium-doped NaCl single crystals under thermal annealing treatment at 200 degrees C. It was found that the precipitation of a fluorite-type EuCl2 phase into the NaCl matrix is responsible for the presence of an emission band peaking at 410 nm in the optical fluorescence spectra of annealed specimens.