Luminescence studies of Ti-doped Al2O3 using vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation

In this study, we examined the luminescence response of Ti-doped Al2 O3 crystals to high-energy vacuum ultraviolet (UV) excitation. In addition to the thoroughly studied emission band of Ti3+ in the near-infrared region and blue emission at 420 nm, we detected a UV emission band at 290 nm. The excitation spectra of all emission bands were measured over the 4-20 eV spectral range. Our results indicate that intrinsic anion defects are involved in the process of the excitation of the 420 nm emission assigned to the charge transfer transitions 2p O2- →3d Ti4+. Analysis of the spectral and decay characteristics of the UV emission enables us to suggest that this band is associated with radiative decay of excitons localized at Ti ions. © 2005 American Institute of Physics