Photoluminescence Properties of Yb and Ag Co-Doped Ta2O5 Thin Films

We prepared ytterbium and silver co-doped tantalum-oxide (Ta2O5:Yb,Ag) thin films using a simple co-sputtering method and evaluated photoluminescence (PL) properties of the films after annealing. We found that a PL peak at a wavelength of 980 nm due to Yb3+ can be strongly enhanced by Ag doping. From X-ray diffraction measurements, we found that Ag2Ta8O21 and orthorhombic Ta2O5 crystalline phases are very important in order to enhance the 980-nm peak observed from our Ta2O5:Yb,Ag thin films. Because of the human-body transmittability of the 980-nm wavelength, such films are applicable to a novel real-time X-ray dosimeter system.