Synchrotron radiation investigations of the Sr_2MgSi_2O_7:Eu^(2+),R^(3+) persistent luminescence materials

The electronic and defect energy level structure of polyerystalline Sr2MgSi2OT：Eu^2＋,R^3＋ persistent luminescence materials were studied with thermoluminescence and different synchrotron radiation spectroscopies （UV-VUV emission and excitation, X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy （XANES） and extended X-ray absorption f＇me structure （EXAFS））. Special attention was paid on the effect of the R3＋ co-dopants on the persistent luminescence properties of the materials. Theoretical calculations using the density functional theory （DFT） were carried out simultaneously with the experimental work. The experimental band gap energy （Eg） value of ca. 7.1 eV agreed very well with the DFT value of 6.7 eV. The variation of the Eg value was attempted to relate with the trap structure as well as with the different properties of the R3＋ co-dopants. The trap level energy distribution depended strongly on the R3＋ co-dopant except for the shallowest trap energy above the room temperature remaining practically the same, however. The different processes in the mechanism of persistent luminescence from Sr2MgSi2OT：Eu^2＋,R^3＋ were assembled and their contributions discussed.

Defect aggregates in the Sr_2MgSi_2O_7 persistent luminescence material

The crystal and electronic structure of the Eu^2＋ doped and defect containing Sr2MgSi2O7 persistent luminescence material were studied using the density functional theory （DFT）. The defects may act as energy storage or even luminescence quenching centres in these materials, however their role is very difficult to confirm experimentally. The probability of vacancy formation was studied using the total energy of the defect containing host. Significant structural modifications in the environment of the isolated defects, especially the strontium vacancy, as well as defect aggregates were found. The experimental band gap energy of Sr2MgSi2O7 was well reproduced by the calculations. The defect induced electron traps close to the host＇s conduction band were found to act as energy storage sites contributing to its efficient persistent luminescence. The interactions between the defects were found to modify both the Eu^2＋ 4f^7 ground state energy as well as the trap structure. The effect of charge compensation induced by the rare earth co-doping on the defect structure and energy storage properties of the persistent luminescence materials was discussed.