Novel UV and X-ray irradiated white-emitting persistent luminescence and traps distribution of Ca5Ga6O14: Pr3+ phosphors

Highlights: • Long afterglow performance of the Ca₅Ga₆O₁₄: Pr³⁺ was characterized with excellent afterglow time and initial brightness. • The realization of white afterglow emission through single-doped Pr in the matrix. • The phosphor is a multi-excitation light source material that can be excited by ultraviolet and X-rays. -- Abstract: In the current study, we synthesized a new white-emitting long persistent luminescence (LPL) phosphor Ca₅Ga₆O₁₄: Pr³⁺ by the solid-state reaction, and investigated its LPL properties for the first time. Ca₅Ga₆O₁₄: Pr³⁺ is a multi-stimulus phosphor that can be activated by X-ray and 254 nm ultraviolet (UV) lamp. Under the excitation of 254 nm UV lamp and X-ray, Ca₅Ga₆O₁₄: Pr³⁺ provides white light consisting of green-bluish and red ingredients. The phenomenon stems from ³P₀ and ¹D₂ multiplets electrons transition in 4f level of Pr³⁺. Following the removal of UV excitation, a fantastic white luminescent LPL can be detected in Ca₅Ga₆O₁₄: Pr³⁺ for 10.3 h. Moreover, the distribution of traps in Ca₅Ga₆O₁₄: Pr³⁺ was also discussed by thermoluminescence (TL) spectra, which contained large shallow and deep traps, that were critical for exceptional LPL properties for UV and X-ray irradiation, respectively. Our results indicated that Ca₅Ga₆O₁₄: Pr³⁺ could be used as multi-stimulus LPL phosphors in different fields.