Luminescent vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy of Cr3+ ions in nanostructured aluminum oxide

► Photoluminescence of the Cr3+ centers was studied under Vis-UV-VUV excitation. ► The excitons bound to impurity centers in nanoscale α-Al2O3 crystals are observed. ► Size dependence of the bound exciton manifestation has been found. ► Effect of electron excitation multiplication is observed at an energy more than 2Eg.