Luminescent characterization of lead tungstate crystals doped with europium, praseodymium, and ytterbium ions

Spectral characteristics of pure and Pr, Yb, and Eu doped PbWO4 crystals were studied in a wide temperature region at different excitation wavelengths. The noted ions were incorporated in the PbWO4 crystal lattice as triply charged ions. These ions changed the spectral characteristics of the matrix emission. Decrease of total luminescence intensity and redistribution between contributions of various luminescence centers in the total spectra of the PbWO4 crystals with adding the RE impurities was observed. Formation of at least two types of luminescent centers on the basis of the RE ions in PbWO4 crystals is shown. The causes of decrease of spectral contributions of some emission bands into total luminescence of the doped PbWO4 crystals are discussed.