Transparent glass ceramics containing Lu6O5F8:Tb3+ nano‐crystals: Enhanced photoluminescence and X‐ray excited luminescence.

Abstract: The development of scintillators is of fundamental and industrial meaning for their diverse applications. Despite the great advance in scintillating mono‐crystals, challenge remains to search for novel scintillating materials with low cost, large volume, and high efficiency. Here, Tb³⁺‐doped glass ceramics (GC) with crystallized Lu₆O₅F₈ nano‐crystals were prepared and characterized as potential X‐ray scintillators. Their structural, optical, and luminescent properties were explored systematically. After thermal treatment, X‐ray excited luminescence (XEL) intensity from Lu₆O₅F₈:Tb³⁺ GC is greatly increased and the relative intensity is about 64% of commercial BGO scintillator, benefiting from preferential enrichment of Tb³⁺ ions into Lu₆O₅F₈ nano‐crystals with low phonon energy. Moreover, unusual decay behaviors of Tb³⁺ emissions in GC sample are observed and discussed. Our results indicate that rare earth doped GC may offer a novel platform for designing and fabricating new scintillating materials in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]