Virtual photon approach of cathodoluminescence and ion-beam induced luminescence of solids

Abstract

A novel analysis of cathodoluminescence (CL) and ion-beam induced luminescence (IBIL) is presented on the basis of virtual photon spectra (VPS) produced by charged particles (electrons or ions) passing by luminescent species such as defects or impurities, in wide band-gap ionic-covalent solids. A discussion is provided for irradiations in a wide range of charged particle kinetic energy by using the Weizsäcker-Williams theory. The computed VPS are found to decay rapidly as a function of virtual photon (VP) energy regardless of particle energy, for close or distant collisions. The electron-energy dependence of experimental CL spectra of sapphire (α-Al2O3) is discussed in relation to the computed VPS for the primary and secondary electrons. The experimental IBIL spectra of α-Al2O3 are also analyzed in this framework for protons and helium ions in the MeV energy range. The variations of stopping power are consistent with the variation of the number of emitted VPs. The decay of IBIL yield versus ion stopping power is discussed on the basis of the variation of the computed VPS, and ionization and excitation induced by primary ions and secondary electrons. This decay is accounted for by a decrease of the yield of low-energy secondary electrons with the subsequent VP emission.