A surface recombination model applied to large features in inorganic phosphor efficiency measurements in the soft x-ray region

The photoluminescent quantum efficiencies of the inorganic phosphors Y2O2S:Eu, Y2O3:Eu, La2O2S:Tm, Gd2O2S:Tb, and Sr5Cl(PO4)3:Eu have been measured in the range 17 to 450 eV. The optical properties of these phosphors from 2 to 160 eV have been determined from inelastic electron scattering measurements. Using a model which involves nonradiative recombination at the surface of the material, we relate photoluminescent efficiency to optical absorption properties, and find that surface recombination is the predominant source of efficiency loss for these materials in the soft x-ray range. From the model, we obtain values for the diffusion length, surface recombination velocity, and bulk quantum efficiency of these materials.