Temperature dependence of the Pr3+ luminescence in LSO and YSO hosts

The temperature dependences of photoluminescence spectra of Pr3+ in Lu2SiO5 (LSO) and Y2SiO5 (YSO) hosts under excitation into the 5d1 excited state are reported within 4–450 K together with measured decay times of the fast and slow delayed recombination decay processes. Ionization processes occurring from the 5d1 relaxed state are evaluated using the mentioned decay measurements. The simple kinetic model is created to provide quantitative parameters of energy barriers and frequency factors, which govern the ionization process in the 5d1 Pr3+ excited state in both hosts. The ionization barriers are interpreted as the separation between the conduction band and the 5d1 excited state. The temperature dependences of the Pr3+ 5d1–4f and 4f–4f luminescence intensities point to the thermally stimulated transition from 5d1 state towards the 3P2 and other lower lying 4f levels.