Gas-filled radioluminescent light sources and prospects for their further development

Abstract

Luminescence of various inorganic compounds of rare earth elements as radioluminophores was studied with the aim of fabricating weak permanent light sources. Under the action of UV and tritium radiation, all the luminophores tested emit light of different colors. In the tritium gas medium, six luminophores showed emission, and for three of them (Y₂O₃:Eu, Y₂O₃:Eu, Bi, Gd₂O₃:Eu) the emission brightness was acceptable for practical use. Attempt to prepare permanent light sources with new types of luminophores using a phosphoric acid solution as a binder demonstrated the need for searching for a new binder firmly fixing the luminophore on the glass surface.