X-Ray excited luminescence of organo-lanthanide complexes.

A comparative study of the photoluminescence (PL) and radioluminescence (RL) of lanthanide complexes with benzimidazolylphenolate (NON), 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3-butanedionate (TTA) and 1,3-acetylacetonate (acac) ligands revealed significant differences in the total and relative intensity of emission. The PL spectra contain both bands of metal-centered and ligand centred emission while X-ray excited compounds display only the bands of Ln3+ ions, the relative intensity of which differs from that in UV excited analogues. The RL intensity of all the studied complexes is about 300 times lower than that of PL. Increasing the cathode current and tube voltage enhances the RL efficiency insignificantly. Simultaneous irradiation of the sample with X-ray and UV radiation leads to a corresponding increase in the intensity of emission. A possible mechanism of RL of organo-lanthanide complexes is discussed.