Effect of trivalent rare earth ions doping on the fluorescence properties of electron trapping materials SrS: Eu 2+

Abstract

Trivalent rare-earth ions (La 3+, Pr 3+, Nd 3+, Sm 3+, Gd 3+, Tb 3+, Dy 3+, Ho 3+, Er 3+, Tm 3+, and Yb 3+) were investigated as the co- doped auxiliary sensitizer for the electron trapping materials SrS: Eu 2+ in order to enhance the fluorescence properties. It was found that Sm 3+ and Tb 3+ had the best photoluminescence stimulated luminescence (PSL) effect among the selected trivalent rare-earth ions. All the SrS: Eu 2+ samples doped by different trivalent rare-earth ions could be stimulated by 980 nm laser after being exposed to the conventional sunlight, and they emitted PSL with the peak located at 615 nm. The result also indicated that some co-doped rare earth ions could increase fluorescence intensities of the traditional electron trapping materials SrS: Eu 2+.