Fluororeflectometer for measuring the emission, excitation, reflection and transmission of materials doped with active ions

The design and construction of a new hybrid instrument, which is named a fluororeflectometer, for measuring the radiation from materials doped with rare earth atoms is presented. This instrument operates in two modes. In the XL-λ mode, the instrument measures the luminescence and excitation spectra of the samples. In the RT-λ mode, the instrument measures the specular reflection and transmission spectra of thick or thin films. A photomultiplier (UV-enhanced photodiode) is used when the XL-λ (RT-λ) mode is in operation. The angle of incidence on the sample and the angle of the detected emission can be changed in both modes; the first one is changed manually and the last one is changed automatically. The reflection and transmission spectra from slabs of KCl:Eu2+ were measured to test the RT-λ mode. These data were fitted using Lorentz-type dispersion for the material, and the densities for each Eu absorption bands were obtained. In the XL-λ mode, the luminescence and excitation spectra from a slab and thin film of KCl:Eu2+ were obtained. The sensitivity of the instrument enables the luminescence from thin films with thicknesses as low as 3μm to be measured; in this case, the signal barely exceeded the noise. The emission spectra from a slab of KCl:Eu2+ for several angles of incidence were measured in the direction parallel to the interfaces of the slab. ► Develops an instrument for measuring optical properties of phosphors materials. ► Emission, excitation, transmission and reflectance are measured in KCl:Eu2+ slabs. ► The angular distribution for the emission, measured in situ, is also characterized. ► Its performance was compared with other instruments and good agreement is found. ► Capabilities are found superior to those offered by commercial fluorometers