Effect of deep traps on the optical properties of Tb3+ doped sol‐gel silica

In this study we investigate the role of traps on radio‐ and photo‐luminescence properties of terbium doped silica. The investigation is motivated by the promising characteristics of rare‐earth doped silica obtained by the sol‐gel technique as scintillating material. We focus on those phenomena that can be responsible for problematic properties such as the increase of radio‐luminescence sensitivity following repeated irradiations. A set of terbium doped silica with different terbium concentrations (0.03 mol%, 0.1 mol% and 10 mol%) prepared by the sol‐gel technique and densified at 1050 °C in oxidizing atmosphere has been considered. The effect of a post‐densification rapid thermal treatment on the RL and PL properties has also been investigated. This treatment improved the scintillation characteristics of the samples reducing their RL instability under prolonged irradiation. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)