Detection of environmental ultraviolet radiation by the induced electroluminescence in a ceramic detector

Environmental ultraviolet (UV) radiation can be detected passively by a ceramic sensor with the method of recording the radiation induced electroluminescence (EL). The phenomenon that metal-oxide ceramic material doped with certain impurities can emit photons under high electric field after the irradiation of UV has been found in our laboratory. This phenomenon of EL can only exist when the sensor has been irradiated by UV radiation. After the emission of photons, the sensor material returns to the normal state and no more photon will be emitted even electric field is applied again unless it is irradiated by UV again. The emitted light may have different wavelengths dependent on the base material of the sensor and the impurity, and the peak height of the EL curve represents the number of radiation induced-photons which is directly in proportion to the exposure of the UV radiation. The radiation-induced EL can thus be used to detect UV radiation. UV-induced EL in ZrO₂ with zinc oxide as impurity has been investigated. Other base materials such as Gd₂O₃ and MgO are also considered