Resilient high-temperature UV radioluminescence from Gd3+ in barium phosphate glass

The radioluminescence (RL) of glasses with 50P 2 O 5 -(50 – x )BaO- x Gd 2 O 3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 5 mol%) compositions was evaluated under continuous X-ray excitation at 19 different temperatures within 26–384 °C. While the barium phosphate host showed no significant RL, the ultraviolet emission of Gd 3+ was observed to continuously increase with Gd 3+ concentration at any given temperature. Withstanding thermal quenching effects, significant Gd 3+ RL remained even at 384 °C with all glasses retaining from 52% to ∼70% of the respective room temperature intensity, increasing with Gd 3+ concentration. The results show that high Gd 3+ concentrations are beneficial in terms of luminosity, and that significant relative luminosity can be obtained even at high temperatures.