[Effects of Sb3+ on the luminescent properties of Tb3+ doped silicate glass].

The Sb(3+)-doped silicate glasses, Tb(3+)-doped silicate glasses, and Sb3+ and Tb3+ co-doped silicate glasses were synthesized by high-temperature melting method, and their spectral properties were analyzed. The effects of Sb2O3 added as a fining agent on the luminescent properties of Tb(3+)-doped silicate glasses were studied with excitation spectra, emission spectra and decay time. The results show that there is energy transfer from Sb3+ ions to Tb3+ ions in the Sb3+ and Tb3+ co-doped silicate glasses under UV excitation, but the energy transfer efficiency between them is quite low. The energy transfer takes place between the 3P1 energy level of Sb3+ ions and the 5D3 energy level of Tb3+ ions in the Sb3+ and Tb3+ co-doped silicate glasses, and the way of the energy transfer from Sb3+ ions to Tb3+ ions is nonradiative energy resonance transfer. Meanwhile, introducing Sb2O3 used as a fining agent will reduce the excitation intensity of Tb3+ ions in the silicate glasses in the overlap excitation region of both Sb3+ ions and Tb3+ ions, which corresponds to the region from 200 to 350 nm. The reduction in the excitation intensity of Tb3+ ions caused by introducing Sb3+ ions is so evident that it can not be compensated by the energy transfer from Sb3+ ions to Tb3+ ions. Therefore, the negative effects of Sb3+ ions on the luminescent properties of Tb3+ ions in silicate glasses should be measured when Sb2 O3 is planned to be used as a fining agent in Tb(3+)-doped silicate glasses.