Dopant-sensitive luminescence spectroscopy of yttrium aluminum garnet by high-current electron pulses

Abstract

Pulsed cathode luminescence (PCL) spectroscopy is developed to detect dopant-d elements: Cr, Mn, Co, Fe, V, and Ni in aluminum garnet crystals. PCL is excited by 2 ns electron pulses with high current density 700±100 A/cm2 and the energy of electrons 180±20 keV. In contrast to conventional spectroscopies, which require low temperatures to suppress thermal quenching and produce measurable intensity of luminescence, our method works at room temperatures. The high-current PCL spectroscopy allows us to discriminate the new lines and bands of d elements which are inactive in photo- and x-ray luminescence. A large portion of the PCL spectrum can be taken simultaneously due to the high intensity of luminescence.