Interactions of excited activators in rare earth and transition metal doped phosphors and their role in low energy cathodoluminescence

The pulsed cathodoluminescence (CL) and photoluminescence (PL) decay of radiation from several excited states in three common phosphor systems as well as the steady state CL efficiency is measured. The nonradiative decay routes lead to CL efficiency losses, which are enhanced, as the electron beam energy is reduced.