Luminescence and Scintillation in the Niobium Doped Oxyfluoride Rb4Ge5O9F6:Nb

Darren Carone; Vladislav V. Klepov; Scott T. Misture; Joseph C. Schaeperkoetter; Luiz G. Jacobsohn; Mina Aziziha; Juliano Schorne-Pinto; Stuart A. J. Thomson; Adrian T. Hines; Theodore M. Besmann; Hans-Conrad zur Loye

doi:10.3390/inorganics10060083

Inorganics (Jun 2022)

Luminescence and Scintillation in the Niobium Doped Oxyfluoride Rb4Ge5O9F6:Nb

Darren Carone,
Vladislav V. Klepov,
Scott T. Misture,
Joseph C. Schaeperkoetter,
Luiz G. Jacobsohn,
Mina Aziziha,
Juliano Schorne-Pinto,
Stuart A. J. Thomson,
Adrian T. Hines,
Theodore M. Besmann,
Hans-Conrad zur Loye

Affiliations

Darren Carone: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Vladislav V. Klepov: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Scott T. Misture: Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering, Alfred University, Alfred, NY 14802, USA
Joseph C. Schaeperkoetter: Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering, Alfred University, Alfred, NY 14802, USA
Luiz G. Jacobsohn: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Mina Aziziha: Nuclear Engineering Program, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Juliano Schorne-Pinto: Nuclear Engineering Program, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Stuart A. J. Thomson: Edinburgh Instruments Ltd., 2 Bain Square, Livingston EH54 7DQ, UK
Adrian T. Hines: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Theodore M. Besmann: Nuclear Engineering Program, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Hans-Conrad zur Loye: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics10060083
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 6
p. 83

Abstract

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A new niobium-doped inorganic scintillating oxyfluoride, Rb4Ge5O9F6:Nb, was synthesized in single crystal form by high-temperature flux growth. The host structure, Rb4Ge5O9F6, crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbcn with lattice parameters a = 6.98430(10) Å, b = 11.7265(2) Å, and c = 19.2732(3) Å, consisting of germanium oxyfluoride layers made up of Ge3O9 units connected by GeO3F3 octahedra. In its pure form, Rb4Ge5O9F6 shows neither luminescence nor scintillation but when doped with niobium, Rb4Ge5O9F6:Nb exhibits bright blue luminescence and scintillation. The isostructural doped structure, Rb4Ge5O9F6:Nb, crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbcn with lattice parameters a = 6.9960(3) Å, b = 11.7464(6) Å, and c = 19.3341(9) Å. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements suggest that the niobium is located in an octahedral coordination environment. Optical measurements inform us that the niobium dopant acts as the activator. The synthesis, structure, and optical properties are reported, including radioluminescence (RL) measurements under X-ray irradiation.

Published in Inorganics

ISSN: 2304-6740 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry: Inorganic chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/Inorganics

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