Photoelectric properties of glass-ceramics containing KTb(2)F(7) nanocrystals for UV detection

In this work, a glass ceramics (GC) containing KTb(2)F(7) nanocrystals was fabricated by controlled crystallization of an fluorosilicate glass via heat-treatment. The microstructure, luminescence, and photoelectric properties of the GCs are systematically studied by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, spectral analysis, and current–voltage (I–V) curves. The results show that the GC containing KTb(2)F(7) nanocrystals exhibit intense visible emission due to the 4f transition of Tb(3+): (5)D(i) (i = 3, 4) → (7)F(j) (j = 0–6) upon excitation of ultraviolet (UV) light. In addition, a UV detector device based on the GC was fabricated, which has a large dynamic linear response range, fast response speed and high sensitivity. This study not only provides a new material for UV detector that can simplify the process of UV detection, but also highlight a new strategy for UV detection.