Effects of Pr3+ on Luminescence Performance and Energy Transfer Mechanisms in Ce3+-Doped High-Gadolinium Aluminoborosilicate Oxyfluoride Glass

Scintillating glass, as a key material for high-energy radiation detection, shows significant application prospects in large-size, low-cost radiation detection systems. However, in high-Gd-content scintillating glasses, cross-relaxation among Gd3+ ions limits energy transfer efficiency, thereby restricting further improvement of luminescence performance. In this study, High-temperature melting was employed to synthesize Pr3+ and Ce3+ co-doped gadolinium-rich boron-aluminosilicate oxyfluoride glass (Gd2O3-GdF3-B2O3-Al2O3-SiO2-CeO2, referred to as CS glass) under a reducing atmosphere (CO). Using absorption, reflection, and luminescence spectroscopy, we systematically investigated the influence of Pr3+ doping on the optical and scintillation properties of Ce3+-doped scintillating glass, along with the energy transfer mechanisms among Pr3+, Ce3+, and Gd3+ rare-earth ions. The fluorescence intensity of this glass under X-ray excitation was compared with that of BGO crystal. Results demonstrate that low-concentration Pr3+ doping significantly enhances the luminescence intensity of CS glass excited at 275 nm, increasing the X-ray excited optical yield by 60%. A pronounced 5d-4f transition of Pr3+ was observed in low-Pr3+-doped CS glass, accompanied by Pr3+→Gd3+→Ce3+ and Gd3+→Pr3+ energy transfer. In glasses with higher Pr3+ concentrations, the 4f-4f transition of Pr3+ dominates, while Gd3+→Pr3+ energy transfer persists, resulting in prolonged fluorescence decay time for both Gd3+ and Ce3+.