Cathodoluminescence of natural zircons

Abstract

Cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements made on natural zircon crystals are reported for the temperature range 45-300 K. Different combinations of excitation conditions used at various temperatures, coupled with information on the decay lifetimes of the emission features provided by modulation of the electron beam, enable identification of excited state transitions occurring within rare-earth impurities. A broad-band feature at 385 nm is noted, in common with other luminescence studies using different forms of excitation, and is attributed to an intrinsic decay process.