Luminescence of CaGa2Se4:Eu crystals

We have studied photoluminescence and thermoluminescence (PL and TL) in CaGa2Se4:Eu crystals in the temperature range 77–400 K. We have established that broadband photoluminescence with maximum at 571 nm is due to intracenter transitions 4f6 5d–4f7 (8S7/2) of the Eu2+ ions. From the temperature dependence of the intensity (log I–103/T), we determined the activation energy (Ea = 0.04 eV) for thermal quenching of photoluminescence. From the thermoluminescence spectra, we determined the trap depths: 0.31, 0.44, 0.53, 0.59 eV. The lifetime of the excited state 4f6 5d of the Eu2+ ions in the CaGa2Se4 crystal found from the luminescence decay kinetics is 3.8 μsec.