Photoluminescence and phase related cathodoluminescence dynamics of Pr3+ doped in a double phase of ZnTa2O6 and ZnAl2O4

A new phosphor ZnTaAlO5:Pr3+, which displays cathodoluminescence intensity that is phase dependent, was synthesised by solid state reaction. x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and EDX (energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy) maps were used to confirm the multiphase, multi-particle shapes and to assign each particle shape o a corresponding phase of the phosphor, respectively. Cathodoluminescence maps were obtained simultaneously with the EDX maps, and showed both the luminescence emerging from intrinsic and extrinsic defect centres. The activator red emission was better resolved using photoluminescence spectroscopy, which showed emission lines emerging from more than one manifold of the Pr3+ transitions. The persistent luminescence was measured and the corresponding electron trapping centres were characterised by thermoluminescence spectroscopy. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.