Three-dimensional memory effect in fluorescent photosensitive glass activated by europium and cerium

The persistent extinction of fluorescence emission of Eu(3+) in glasses activated with europium and cerium is reported for the first time to the authors' knowledge. The glass samples containing Eu(3+) and Ce(3+) were initially colorless and transparent and exhibited intense emission peaks at 592 and 612 nm assigned to the (5)D(0)-(7)F(1, 2) transitions of Eu(3+). The complete extinction of the Eu(3+)-ion emission was obtained as an effect of multipulse excimer-UV-laser (lambda = 248 nm, tau(FWHM) >/= 20 ns) irradiation of the glass samples. Fluorescence microscopy, Mössbauer spectrometry, and electron spin resonance were applied for investigation of the modifications induced by the laser treatment. As a decisive proof of the extinction of fluorescence we succeeded in recording three-dimensional fluorescent photographic patterns within the activated samples.