Synchrotron Radiation Study of Interconfigurational 5d-4f Luminescence of $\mathrm{Pr^{3+}}$ in $\mathrm{KLuP_2O_7}$

The double phosphate KLuP2O7 doped with Pr3+ ions was prepared by solid-state reaction. The material obtained was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction. The luminescence spectroscopy and the excited state dynamics of this material were studied upon excitation with VUV synchrotron radiation. The 5d-4 f emission of Pr3+ upon both direct and band gap excitation was detected and assigned. The decay kinetics of the Pr3+ 5d-4 f emission is characterized by a decay time of about 20 ns and is nearly temperature independent within the range 8 - 300 K. Both dynamics and energy transfer peculiarities revealed in the study suggested good potentials for application of KLuP2O7:Pr3+ as a fast scintillator material