Intrinsic emissions and formation of electron-hole trapping centres in excited Li2SO4

Vacuum ultraviolet and thermal activation spectroscopies were used to study the nature of intrinsic emission and the mechanisms of the formation of electron and hole trapping centres in irradiated Li2SO4 powders and crystals. The obtained results along with excitation spectra showed that recombination emission at 3.8–4.2 eV and 4.5–5.5 eV occurs when an electron passes from the second and third sub-bands of the valence band formed from the 2p state of oxygen to the conduction band. It has been determined that Li2SO4 electron and hole trapping centres are created when electrons are trapped in the SO42– anionic sites. The holes are localised in the form of SO4 – radicals. The spectral position and intensity of individual emission bands are dependent on the crystallographic arrangement of localised holes.