Abstract
The physical characterization and phosphor emission spectra are presented for CaSO4 doped with Tm and Cu. All spectral wavelengths are related to electronic transitions of Tm3+ ions. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the compound exhibits orthorhombic structure and all reflections were indexed without any other secondary impurity phases. Chemical and structural properties of the samples have been characterized by means of Raman spectroscopy and environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) with an attached X-ray energy dispersive system (EDS). Group frequencies concept is essential point to the interpretation of the bands due to the main SO4 vibrational units and these displayed main characteristic intensive Raman bands including typical strong intensity at 1016cm−1 that corresponds to ν1SO4 vibrational mode. From the spatially-resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) spectrum, main emission bands of Tm3+ centered at 346, 362, and 452nm, due to the respective transitions of 3P0→3H4, 1D2→3H6, 1D2→3F4 were clearly identified. The study is novel as no such CL-ESEM data are available for this doped compound.
•Characteristic and cathodoluminescence properties of CaSO4:Tm3+, Cu have been investigated.•Several sharp and strong CL emission bands due to rare earth ion were observed for rare earth doped sample.•The nature and limitation of the interaction between CaSO4 and the activator ions were discussed.