Enhanced emission intensity of Ce3+ ions in Li2O–B2O3–Gd2O3 scintillating glasses by adding carbon and Si3N4 agent

Abstract Ce3 +-doped Li2O–B2O3–Gd2O3 scintillating glasses containing neutron-capture elements were synthesized by melt quenching method in air. More attention is paid on the improved optical properties induced by adding carbon and Si3N4 as a reducing agent. The spectral results show that energy transfer efficiency from Gd3 + to Ce3 + ions reaches approximately 95%. With the incorporation of carbon and Si3N4 into the designed glass, the enhanced emission of Ce3 + ions can be further increased by a factor of about 3 and 4.5, respectively. The investigated Ce3 +-doped Li2O–B2O3–Gd2O3 scintillating glass is characterized with the broad band centered at 360 nm and a lifetime of about 36–38 ns, which will be potential application for neutron detection.