Luminescence of Ce doped LaCl3 microcrystals incorporated into a single-crystalline NaCl host

Formation of LaCl3:Ce microcrystals embedded in an NaCl host has been revealed for NaCl-LaCl3 (1 mol%)-CeCl3 (0.05 mol%) composition by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and luminescence spectroscopy techniques. Scanning electron microscopy has shown the size of LaCl3:Ce microcrystals to be in the 10-100 μm range. Spectral-kinetic characteristics of NaCl-LaCl3 (1 mol%)-CeCl3 (0.05 mol%) luminescence have been studied upon excitation in the ultra violet-visible ultraviolet (UV-VUV) spectral range. Luminescent properties of LaCl3:Ce microcrystals in NaCl-LaCl3 (1 mol%)-CeCl3 (0.05 mol%) are shown to be substantially similar to those of bulk LaCl3:Ce (1 mol%) crystal. The energy transfer mechanism from the NaCl host and LaCl3 microcrystal to cerium centres is discussed