Radiation defects in Ce3+-activated fluorobromozirconate glass-ceramic X-ray storage phosphors

We report on a photostimulated luminescence (PSL) effect in Ce-doped fluorobromozirconate glasses. Small hexagonal or orthorhombic BaBr2 crystallites are formed in the glass upon annealing. The PSL shows a (381,415) nm doublet which is due to the 5d–4f luminescence of Ce3+ in the orthorhombic BaBr2 crystallites embedded in the glass matrix. The stimulation band of the PSL peaking at 580 nm is probably due to perturbed F centres in the crystallites. After X-irradiation the magnetic circular dichroism of the optical absorption showed a broad band in the spectral range between 440 and 800 nm , having a derivative-like line shape centred at about 600 nm . The spectrum consists of two overlapping bands: one, derivative-like, belongs probably to F-centres, whereas the second band, superimposed on the low-energy region of the F-centre band, is due to a hole centre.