Preparation and scintillation properties of Eu2+:CaF2 scintillation ceramics

Abstract

Different concentration of Eu2+ -doped CaF2 ceramics, designed to the low (0.01 at% and 0.04 at%) and the high (0.2 at% and 0.5 at%), have been prepared by hot-press sintering method. Under 355 nm laser excitation, all the ceramics showed emission bands at 425 nm due to 5d-4f transitions of Eu2+ ions and weak emission peaks at 574, 617 and 630 nm due to the 4-4f transitions of Eu3+ ions. Under X-rays irradiation, the emission bands at 315 nm and 422 nm, ascribed STE and 5d-4f transitions of Eu2+ ions, were observed and the weak emission peaks, ascribed 4f‐4f transitions of Eu3+ ions, were also observed in all the samples. Furthermore, the scintillation decay lifetime and pulse height spectra of the samples were investigated.