The luminescence of the garnet Ca4ZrGe3O12

The compound Ca4ZrGe3O12 has garnet structure with Ca and Ge in the dodecahedral and tetrahedral sites, respectively. The octahedral sites are occupied by Ca and Zr. Upon host lattice i.e. germanate excitation four different emissions are observed, viz. from the GeO4 group (310 nm), from the zirconate group (530 nm), from Fe3+ present as an impurity (~ 750 nm), and from a radiation-induced centre (400 nm). Energy transfer between these centres has also been observed.