The effect of ionizing radiation on the luminescence properties of Eu3+ and Sm3+ doped LaF3 nanoparticles.

Photoluminescence (PL), PL lifetime, and radioluminescence (RL) measurements were made on LaF₃ nanoparticles doped with Eu³⁺ or Sm³⁺. The radiative lifetimes decreased with increasing rare earth concentrations, which can be attributed to energy transfer to the surface of the nanoparticles followed by non-radiative recombination. The RL signal increases with increasing concentration for Eu³⁺ concentrations up to 20% Eu³⁺ but it saturates and disappears for >10% Sm³⁺. A dose-independent RL was observed up to 10 kGy during continual X-ray irradiation for Eu³⁺ and Sm³⁺ doped nanoparticles, which is advantageous for real time dosimetry applications (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]