Energy Transfer Between Rare Earth Ions in a Potassium Feldspar Glass

Abstract

Nonradiative energy transfer was observed between rare earth ions in a potassium feldspar glass. Observation was made of the quenching of terbium fluorescence through interactions with dissimilar lanthanide ions. The severity of quenching is dependent on the energy gap between the fluorescing level of terbium and the closest lower lying level of another lanthanide ion and a numerical constant characteristic of the host. The value of this host constant, 2246 cm−1, is indicative of a high probability of phonon‐assisted energy transfer. Energy transfer was also observed between dysprosium and samarium when 405 and 425 nm radiation was used for excitation. The site symmetry of Eu3+ in potassium feldspar glass was evaluated through analysis of the emission spectrum and appears to be .