Innovative Eu3+-doped gadolinium borogermanate glass for X-ray imaging scintillator

초록

This research investigated the effects of varying Eu<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf> concentration on the physical, optical, luminescence, and scintillation properties in newly synthesized Eu3+-doped gadolinium borogermanate glasses. It aimed to identify the optimal composition for scintillation and photonic glasses. The density and refractive index of glass increase by adding Eu<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf> content. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed that trigonal BO<inf>3</inf> and tetrahedral BO<inf>4</inf> borate groups are the primary structural units present in these glasses. Some photons in UV, visible light, and NIR region are absorbed via the 4f-4f transitions of Eu3+ ion in glasses. The X-ray induced luminescence and cathodoluminescence spectra patterns correspond to that of photoluminescence. Under all excitations by UV, X-ray, and electron, Eu3+ ions in glasses demonstrated the intense reddish-orange luminescence with the strongest peak around 612 – 615 nm. The highest emission intensity belongs to 5 mol % Eu<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf> - doped glass with photoluminescence decay time ∼1.58 ms. The O2− → Eu3+ charge transfer, Gd3+→ Eu3+ energy transfer, and Eu3+ direct excitation are the crucial processes in such luminescence. Glass has a potential X-ray scintillation with integral efficiency as 32 % of BGO crystal. To investigate the glass's capability, an X-ray imaging experiment was conducted using it as a scintillator. Glass can capture several objects with image characteristics comparable to YAG:Ce crystal, but with longer exposure time and less contrast. This developed glass is a new promising material for static X-ray imaging, radiation detecting with integration mode, and reddish-orange photonics. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd

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