Effect of Al3+ on the photoluminescence and radioluminescence properties of Mn2+-Doped high silica glass

Mn2+/Al3+-, Eu2+/Mn2+-, and Eu2+/Mn2+/Al3+-doped high silica glasses were prepared to investigate their photoluminescence and radioluminescence properties. Particularly, the effect of Al3+ on the energy transfer from Eu2+ to Mn2+ and the regulation law of Mn2+ luminescence properties in Mn2+/Al3+- and Eu2+/Mn2+/Al3+-doped glasses were investigated. A strategy to improve the radioluminescence intensity of glasses was developed, and the radioluminescence intensity formula was improved. The dispersion caused by Al3+ improves the luminous intensity of Mn2+ and lowers the efficiency of the Eu2+→Mn2+ energy transfer in high silica glass. Al3+ can significantly broaden the excitation spectrum of Mn2+ by affecting the coordination number of Mn2+ and changing the field intensity around Mn2+ ions. Notably, the developed glass can potentially be applied in laser and LED lights. In addition, nonbridging oxygens (NBOs) are considered to be the main factor leading to the low efficiency of glass radioluminescence. Al3+ is able to reduce the relative amount of NBOs by forming [AlO4/2]−1 tetrahedra, thereby improving the radioluminescence intensity effectively.