Luminescence characteristics of Dy³⁺ doped Gd₂O₃-CaO-SiO₂-B₂O₃ scintillating glasses

Glasses were prepared from the compositions of 25Gd₂O₃-10CaO-10SiO₂-(55-x)B₂O₃-xDy₂O₃ (where x is 0.0 mol.%-1.0 mol.%) by the conventional melt-quenching technique at 1400 °C. The results demonstrated the increase in the glass density with respect to the increase in the doping concentrations of Dy₂O₃. Nine absorption bands were observed. The emission spectra of the developed glass showed two strong peaks at 577 nm (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_13/2) and 482 nm (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_15/2). The highest emission intensity was observed from the developed glass prepared at 0.4 mol.% of Dy₂O₃, as the efficient energy transfer took place from Gd³⁺ to Dy³⁺. From the X-ray induced optical luminescence, the emission spectra were identical to those from PL measurements, but with the highest intensity observed from the glass quenched at 0.45 mol.% of Dy₂O₃. Finally, the integral scintillation efficiency of the developed glass was determined at 27% of that of the commercially available BGO crystal.