Radio-luminescence efficiency and rare-earth dispersion in Tb-doped silica glasses

A set of terbium-doped silicate glasses densified up to 1050 °C was prepared by the sol–gel method. A broad range of dopant concentrations (0.001–10 mol%) was considered together with an undoped sample as a reference. The effects of a high-temperature (1600–1800 °C) post-densification rapid thermal treatment (RTT) on the luminescence properties of the samples were investigated. RTT enhances the scintillating efficiency of the samples increasing the radio-luminescence intensity up to two orders of magnitude. The relevant effects induced by RTT on radio- and photo-luminescence spectra (RL, PL) and on PL decay curves indicate the occurrence of modifications of the surroundings of Tb3+Tb3+ luminescence centres.