Luminescence and charge compensation in SnO2-Tb3+

Abstract

The photoluminescence, cathodoluminescence and thermoluminescence of SnO₂ crystals doped with Tb and charge compensators such as Li or H or P have been investigated. The characteristic Tb³⁺ lines appear in all cases under electron bombardment. Only SnO₂-Tb-P crystals produce the characteristic Tb³⁺ emission under 365 nm excitation. Otherwise a broad orange band appears, due to the presence of tin vacancies. The traps which appear on adding Tb³⁺ are discussed in terms of a simple model which is used to show that the charge compensation mechanism results in the creation of traps rather than defect luminescence centres.