Luminescence of Ce³⁺activated fluoro-apatites M₅(PO₄)₃F (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) under VUV–UV and x-ray excitation

Fluoro-apatite M5(PO4)3 F( M= Ca, Sr, Ba) phosphors activated with Ce 3+ ions were prepared by a solid state reaction technique at high temperature. The excitation spectra in the VUV (vacuum ultraviolet)–UV range and the emission spectra in the UV–vis range together with decay time spectra are investigated and discussed. X-ray excited emission spectra were measured and light yields are calculated. The results revealed that Ca(II) sites are preferentially occupied at low doping concentration, and then Ca(I) sites are dominant with the increasing of concentration for Ce 3+ in Ca5(PO4)3F. In contrast, Ce 3+ ions mainly occupied the Sr(II)/Ba(II) sites in Sr5(PO4)3 Fa nd Ba5(PO4)3F even at higher doping concentration. The low light output seems to suggest that the materials are not suitable x-ray or gamma-ray phosphors. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)