Photoelectric properties of glass-ceramics containing KTb₂F₇ nanocrystals for UV detection

In this work, a glass ceramics (GC) containing KTb₂F₇ nanocrystals was fabricated by controlled crystallization of an fluorosilicate glass via heat-treatment. The microstructure, luminescence, and photoelectric properties of the GCs are systematically studied by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, spectral analysis, and current-voltage (I-V) curves. The results show that the GC containing KTb₂F₇ nanocrystals exhibit intense visible emission due to the 4f transition of Tb³⁺: ⁵D (i = 3, 4) → ⁷F (j = 0-6) upon excitation of ultraviolet (UV) light. In addition, a UV detector device based on the GC was fabricated, which has a large dynamic linear response range, fast response speed and high sensitivity. This study not only provides a new material for UV detector that can simplify the process of UV detection, but also highlight a new strategy for UV detection.