Terbium photo-, cathodo- and X-ray luminescence in sol-gel derived films in porous anodic alumina

Photo-, cathodo-, and X-ray luminescence of terbium in sol-gel derived films, fabricated in porous anodic alumina is studied. The cell size of the fabricated film convertor of irradiation is about 250 nm. The methods of increase Tb luminescence under diverse excitation conditions are discussed. © 2012 CriMiCo

Inhomogeneous nanostructured honeycomb optical media for enhanced cathodo- and under-x-ray luminescence

Photo-, radio-, and pulse cathodoluminescence spectra from sol-gel derived titania, doped with strontium and terbium, deposited on porous anodic alumina (PAA) films are reported. The morphology and qualitative elemental depth distributions have been examined by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and radio-frequency glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy. PAA films with pore and cell sizes ranging from 170 to 190 and 240 to 270 nm, respectively, have been generated on aluminum and monocrystalline silicon substrates followed by spin-on sol-gel derived coating with the subsequent thermal treatment. The resultant PAA surface is not coated with a continuous xerogel film; the xerogel is mainly distributed near the pore bases, leaving much of the pore volume unfilled. The xerogel/PAA structures reveal terbium-related luminescence under x-ray excitation and cathodoluminescence. The same xerogels generated on monocrystalline silicon revealed no cathode- or under-x-ray luminescence. Thus, PAA enhances strongly the cathode- and under x-ray luminescence from terbium and strontium-doped titania xerogels confined in the porous matrix. The fabricated structures are considered as a type of low-cost, thin-film convertor of x-rays, and cathode ray irradiation into visible light, with an average cell size of the convertor of about 250 nm. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Photo- and under X-ray luminescence from xerogels embedded in mesoporous anodic alumina

Porous anodic alumina (PAA) films with pore and cell sizes ranging from 170 to 190 and 240 to 270 nm, respectively, have been generated on aluminum and monocrystalline silicon substrates followed by spin-on sol-gel derived coating with the subsequent thermal treatment producing microporous xerogel. The distribution of the xerogels corresponding to the chemical contents of willemite, garnet, titania, alumina, doped with terbium and strontium in PAA was investigated. Most xerogels, after annealing at 1000 °C, are mainly distributed near the pore bases, leaving much of the pore volume unfilled