Luminescence properties of Lu2SiO5:Ce,Yb crystals under synchrotron radiation excitation

The study of optical and photoluminescence properties of codoped Lu2SiO5:Ce, Yb single crystals was performed using conventional spectroscopy as well as time-resolved spectroscopy under excitation by pulsed synchrotron radiation. It was shown that the quenching of cerium luminescence is due to the nonradiative energy transfer from Ce3+ to Yb3+ ions. It was confirmed also that such energy transfer is not cooperative process. According to the constructed vacuum referred binding energy diagram the possible mechanism of quenching of cerium luminescence is the metal-to-metal electron transfer from Ce3+ to Yb3+. •The formation of luminescence properties of LSO:Ce,Yb crystals were studied at UV-VUV excitation.•The nonradiative energy transfer from the cerium to ytterbium has been shown.•The energy transfer mechanism is not cooperative.•Vacuum referred binding energy diagram for Lu2SiO5:Ce,Yb was constructed.