Luminescence of sol-gel-derived silica doped with terbium-benzoate complex

Various approaches to prepare sol-gel-derived silica doped with luminescent lanthanoid complexes have been already demonstrated in several studies. The applicability of these materials as phosphors for practical purposes depends on the quantum efficiencies achievable as well as on the excitation characteristics. This work describes the excitation spectrum of such hybrid materials down to the VUV region and gives quantitative figures for the quantum efficiencies under 254 nm excitation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.