Thermal Quenching in TbAl3(BO3)4: Influence of Synthesis Method and Non-Stoichiometry

For the first time, the dependence of luminescent properties on temperature was investigated for the compound TbAl3(BO3)4 with a huntite-like structure. Samples synthesized by the solution combustion synthesis (SCS) and grown from the flux were used for the study. There are significant differences in the thermal quenching behavior between the two types of materials. It was shown that the onset of thermal quenching strongly depends on the synthesis method: powders prepared by SCS exhibit higher luminescence efficiency at lower temperatures compared to flux-grown single crystals. The branching ratios for the 5D4 to 7F5 transition exceeded 50% under certain conditions, highlighting the potential of material for laser applications.