STUDY OF PHOTOLUMINESCENCE IN GLASS

The influence of composition and temperature on the fluorescence of glasses containing uranium and glasses containing cuprous oxide and stannous oxide was investigated. Secondary cations reduce the fluorescence of uranium in the glasses studied, depending to a certain extent on the electrostatic conditions they produce in the glass structure. The intensity of fluorescence as well as the structure of the spectrum diminishes in the order of phosphate, silicate, and borate glasses of equivalent compositions, which shows that fluorescence is favored by increase of oxygen in the glass structure without increasing the interfering secondary cations. Raising the temperature greatly diminishes the intensity of the fluorescence as well as the structure of the spectrum of glasses containing uranium. The fluorescence of the glasses containing cuprous oxide and stannous oxide as activators seems to be favored by increase in lime and increase in silica. These glasses possess appreciable phosphorescence, which appears to be enhanced by increase in silica and decrease in lime. A peculiar property of this type of luminescent glass is a maximum which it exhibits in its fluorescence-temperature relation-ship. There are indications that electrons are set free from the excited centers (copper atoms or small groups of copper atoms), which wander about in the glass structure.