Structural, Optical, And Luminescence Properties Of Zno:Ga Optical Scintillation Ceramic

This paper discusses the characteristics of ZnO and ZnO:Ga ceramics fabricated by uniaxial hot pressing. The short-wavelength transmission limit of zinc oxide ceramics is in the 370-nm region; the long-wavelength limit is determined by the free-charge-carrier concentration and lies in the interval from 5 to 9 mu m. The total transmittance of such ceramics in the visible and near-IR regions is about 70% when the sample is 0.5 mm thick. The luminescence spectrum is represented by a broad emission band with maximum at 580 nm, having a defect nature. The introduction of 0.03-0.1 mass % gallium into the zinc oxide structure inhibits grain growth and increases the free-charge-carrier concentration to 3.44 x 10(19) cm(-3). As the gallium concentration increases in the range 0.05-0.1 mass % in a ceramic of composition ZnO:Ga, the defect luminescence band is suppressed and a characteristic exciton luminescence is formed with a maximum corresponding to 389 nm and a damping time constant of 1.1 ns. (C) 2018 Optical Society of America