Comparative study on scintillation and luminescence of Terbium-doped LaB₃O₆ crystalline and glass materials

This study compares the scintillation and luminescence properties of terbium-doped lanthanum borate (LaB₃O₆: Tb) in crystalline and amorphous glass forms. Characteristic Tb³⁺ emissions arising from the ⁵D₄ to ⁷F₆–⁷F₃ transitions were observed in both phases. The crystalline form exhibits intrinsic host luminescence peaking around 320 nm, attributed to the LaB₃O₆ matrix. In contrast, the glass form offers high optical transmittance in the 400–900 nm range, allowing detection of the weaker ⁵D₃ to ⁷F₆–⁷F₄ transition of Tb³⁺. Synchrotron photoluminescence measurements at UVSOR reveal efficient host-to-Tb³⁺ energy transfer under vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) excitation, explore new excitation bands, and clarify the origin of the intrinsic host emission. Scintillation performance varies with phase, reinforcing structure-dependent luminescence behaviors. These results highlight the critical role of the host matrix and its structure in governing energy transfer and emission dynamics, positioning LaB₃O₆: Tb as a promising material for UV photonics, scintillators, and UV-filtering applications.