Phosphate glasses with fixed Tb2O3 and varying Eu2O3 were produced by melt quenching. XRD confirmed amorphous structure and FTIR identified bridging and non-bridging oxygen. Green Tb3+ and red Eu3+ emissions, together with lifetime behavior, supported Tb3+ to Eu3+ energy transfer. Orange-red chromaticity and 2,000-3,000 K correlated color temperature were observed. In scintillation testing, spatial resolution reached 11.6 LP/mm, close to 13.2 LP/mm for commercial BGO, suggesting potential in light emission and X-ray conversion.
Key findings
- Spectra and lifetimes supported Tb3+ to Eu3+ transfer, orange-red emission had 2,000-3,000 K color temperature, and spatial resolution was 11.6 LP/mm versus 13.2 LP/mm for BGO. The glasses remained amorphous across tested compositions.
Why this matters globally
Glass can be easier to shape and scale than some crystals. With adequate efficiency and radiation hardness, it could support high-resolution scintillators and warm-light devices, although manufacturing economics and safety require full assessment.
Thai researcher contribution
P. Kanjanaboos, N. Intachai, S. Kothan, N. Kiwsakunkran, N. Chanthima and J. Kaewkhao are affiliated with Mahidol, Chiang Mai and Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat universities, forming a Thai materials-physics and radiation-detection network.
Limitations to consider
Spatial resolution alone does not establish light yield, detection efficiency, afterglow, energy resolution, radiation hardness or large-area uniformity. Replicates, uncertainty and matched thickness against BGO are not reported in the abstract, whose excitation-wavelength text is incomplete.