LiF single crystals with copper impurity (0.0004–0.002%) have been grown by the Czochralski method and investigated. The luminescence, excitation, and optical absorption spectra have been recorded....

We have studied the absorption spectra of x-ray irradiation-induced Ce2+ and Pr2+ ions in crystals of alkaline-earth fluorides. We have calculated absorption spectra of divalent praseodymium ions in SrF2 crystals doped with Pr2+ for the first time. The calculated spectra agree rather well with the experimental data. In crystals containing induced Ce2+ ions we have found strong electron-phonon coupling. In BaF2, we do not observe bands corresponded to divalent Ce or Pr ions.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl

The single crystals of CsI-Yb²⁺ were grown, and their spectroscopic studies were conducted. The observed luminescence in CsI-Yb²⁺ is due to 5d–4f transitions in Yb²⁺ ions. Using time-resolved spectroscopy, spin-allowed and spin-forbidden radiative transitions of ytterbium ions at room temperature were found. The excitation spectra of Yb²⁺ luminescence bands were obtained in the range of 3–45 eV. The mechanism of charge compensation of Yb²⁺ ions in a CsI crystal was also studied, the spectrum of the thermally stimulated depolarization current was measured, and the activation energies of the two observed peaks were calculated. These peaks belong to impurity–vacancy complexes in two different positions. The charge compensation of Yb²⁺ occurs via cation vacancies in the nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor positions.The Yb²⁺ ions are promising dopants for CsI scintillators and X-ray phosphors in combination with SiPM photodetectors.

The article describes the results of a comprehensive study of the extra-framework components of scapolites using quantum–chemical calculations, electronic and vibrational spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction and crystal structure refinement. The ab initio calculations were performed using an embedded-cluster approach of extra-framework components in various cation surroundings. As a result, through comparing the experimental and ab initio calculation results, the energies of the electronic and vibrational transitions of various extra-framework components (CO₃)²⁻, (CO₃)^$·-$, ${\mathrm{S}}_3^{·-}$, ${\mathrm{S}}_2^{·-}$—as well as the role of these components in the process of the lowering of the symmetry—were determined for scapolites belonging to the marialite–meionite solid–solution series. The nature of the various colors of the scapolites has also been established. Colors from purple to blue are a result of the presence of radiation-induced pairs of defects: carbonate radical anions (CO₃)^$·-$ and F-centers. However, polysulfide ${\mathrm{S}}_3^{·-}$ radical anions are found in some violet scapolites.