Vacuum Ultraviolet Excitation Processes of YAl3(BO3)4:R(R= Eu3+, Gd3+and Tb3+)

The luminescence characteristics of Gd3+, Tb3+ and Eu3+ activated YAl3(BO3)4 phosphors in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and ultraviolet (UV) regions of 130–300 nm are investigated. It is shown that the non activated YAl3(BO3)4 phosphor emits UV light under the VUV excitation, and the emission is related to BO3 atomic-groups. The rate of the energy transfer from the host to the activators is in the order of Eu3+ > Tb3+ > Gd3+.