Photoluminescence and radioluminescence study of Eu and Mn doped RbMgF3 nanoparticles

Photoluminescence (PL) and radioluminescence (RL) measurements were made on RbMgF3 nanoparticles doped with Mn or Eu. We find that the Mn doped samples contain only Mn2+ and the Eu doped samples contained Eu3+ and Eu2+. The Mn2+ PL lifetimes are nearly independent of Mn2+ concentration but the RL spectra increases at high doses for 1% Mn2+ and decreases slightly at high doses for 5% Mn2+. The 5% Mn2+ is more radiation hard and the integrated RL intensity only starts to significantly decrease above 1 kGy. The Eu doped sample displays a PL lifetime that is lower for high Eu concentrations and this can be accounted for by a model where there is energy transfer between Eu3+ and more nonradiative decay sites at the surface. The RL is independent of dose between 10 mGy and ∼200 Gy, where the 1% Eu sample is more radiation hard and the Eu3+ RL intensity has decreased by only 3.4% at 6.7 kGy.

► PL and RL were observed in NaMgF3 nanoparticles doped with Eu or Mn.
► Mn2+, Eu2+, and Eu3+ photoluminescence and radioluminescence were observed.
► The Mn2+ PL lifetimes were nearly independent of the Mn2+ concentration.
► The photoluminescence lifetime was smaller for high Eu3+ concentrations.
► RL is nearly dose dependent for doses up to 1 kGy for some of the nanoparticles.