Photoluminescent spectra of surface states in alkaline earth oxides

Abstract

Photoluminescence has been observed from high surface area alkaline earth oxides with exciting light of a much lower frequency than that expected from the band gaps of the bulk oxides. This luminescence can be quenched by oxygen and hydrogen and the quenching is reversible under some conditions. It seems probable that both the excitation and the luminescence spectra observed arise from excitons in the surface region. The different behaviour towards oxygen and hydrogen has been used to develop a model in which the excitation site, where absorption of light occurs, is thought to be associated with anions on the surface in states of unusually low coordination such as might be found at step, edge or corner sites on the surface. The luminescence is thought to be associated with a cation on the surface in a similar state of coordination.