Cu ⁺-doped oxyfluoride glass with anti-thermal-quenching luminescence for X-ray imaging and WLED

Abstract

Glasses are regarded as promising luminescent materials due to distinct superiorities of physicochemical stability, cost-effectiveness and convenient preparation. Developing thermal-stable glass scintillators for multi-scenario applications without compromising luminescent efficiency remains a rigorous challenge. In this work, Cu⁺-doped oxyfluoride glass is designed for X-ray imaging and white light-emitting diode (WLED) by adopting strategies of selecting oxyfluoride glass host, introducing heavy element, incorporating reducing agent Al and utilizing energy transfer from traps to Cu⁺. For glass scintillators, the optimal sample exhibits excellent X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) intensity (311% of that of Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂) and remarkable resolution for X-ray imaging (24 lp/mm). Benefiting from thermal compensation via the release of electrons from traps, XEL intensities at 423 K and 573 K are 155% and 63% of that at 303 K, respectively. The anti-thermal-quenching luminescence in XEL contributes to achieving high resolution (24 lp/mm) in high-temperature X-ray imaging. For WLED phosphors, the optimal sample demonstrates outstanding external quantum efficiency (81.0%), which is attributed to high transparency and low phonon energy of oxyfluoride glass, slight self-absorption of Cu⁺, and effective reduction by Al. Its photoluminescent intensity at 573 K remains 76% of that at 303 K. The full spectra WLED fabricated using Cu⁺-doped glass exhibits a high color rendering index of 96.1. This work provides insights into the development of efficient glass scintillators with anti-thermal-quenching luminescence and paves the way for their multi-scenario applications.

Topics & Concepts