Thermo-stimulated luminescence of x-ray- and alpha-irradiated yttria-stabilized zirconia

• Published in: Journal of physics. Condensed matter Vol. 23; no. 45; pp. 455901 - 6
• Main Authors: COSTANTINI, Jean-Marc, BEUNEU, François, FASOLI, Mauro, GALLI, Anna, VEDDA, Anna, MARTINI, Marco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol Institute of Physics 16.11.2011; IOP Publishing [1989-....]
• Subjects: Condensed Matter; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Defect annealing; Electron paramagnetic resonance; Electron paramagnetic resonance and relaxation; Exact sciences and technology; Irradiation; Luminescence; Magnetic resonances and relaxations in condensed matter, mössbauer effect; Materials Science; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Other luminescence and radiative recombination; Physics; Recovery; Stimulated emission; Thermoluminescence; Yttria stabilized zirconia; Zirconium dioxide; Defect states; Radiation effects; Annealing; Stabilized zirconia; Color centers; Thermostimulated emission; X ray irradiation; Gamma irradiation; Monocrystals; Urbach rule; Electron paramagnetic resonance; Activation energy; Recovery (properties); Thermoluminescence
• ISSN: 0953-8984; 1361-648X
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/23/45/455901

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (ZrO2 : Y3+) single crystals (with 9.5 mol% Y2O3) were irradiated with x-rays and α particles. Thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) data show a main broad peak centred at ∼500-550 K in the glow curves of all irradiated samples. The TSL peak maximum temperature is consistent with the characteristic recovery temperature (∼450 K) of colour centres (T centres) deduced from isochronal annealing curves measured by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. However, the trap-depth energies (ranging between 0.8 and 1.2 eV) deduced from the initial rise of partially cleaned TSL peaks (and from a rough approximation using Urbach's formula) are much larger than the activation energies for defect recovery of 0.3 eV deduced from the EPR data. A second TSL peak centred at ∼350-450 K found in freshly irradiated samples is seen to decay substantially in aged samples. The processes involved in TSL are discussed in relation to the defect annealing processes, and available defect-level energy and TSL data.