Pr3+-doped RbCaF3: a new X-ray-induced UVC persistent phosphor
Nadiia Rebrova, Andriy Pushak, Alexander Grippa, Vitalii Boiko, Patrycja Zdeb-Stańczykowska, Anatoliy Voloshinovskii, Przemysław J. Dereń
Abstract:
The development of persistent ultraviolet-emitting phosphors is advancing rapidly because of their promising applications in alternative cancer treatments. In this work, we developed a novel Pr3+-doped RbCaF3 phosphor exhibiting intense long-persistent luminescence in the 220–340 nm range, sustained for more than an hour after just 15 min of X-ray irradiation. The 5d-4f luminescence of Pr3+ ions is primarily excited by electron-hole pairs generated during X-ray absorption, as well as by electrons released from traps. The emission and excitation properties of RbCaF3:Pr3+ crystallites were further investigated using synchrotron radiation, revealing the simultaneous occurrence of intra-configurational 4f2→4f2 and inter-configurational 4f5d → 4f2 radiative transitions upon 4f5d state excitation. This work highlights the potential of Pr3+-doped RbCaF3 phosphor for innovative applications in ultraviolet photonics and cancer therapy.
