Luminescence of lead thiogallate single crystals doped with cerium ions

The luminescence of single crystals of lead thiogallate PbGa$_2$S$_4$:Ce$^{3+}$ has been studied. The observed nonmonotonic temperature dependence of the integrated luminescence intensity of PbGa$_2$S$_4$:Ce$^{3+}$ : Ce$^{3+}$ has been explained by the energy transfer from the electronic excitations of the matrix to impurity ions and by the temperature quenching of the Ce$^{3+}$ ion luminescence. The observed structure of the $4f^05d^1-4f^1(^2F_{7/2})$ band of the Ce$^{3+}$ ion luminescence indicates the existence, at least, two types of Ce$^{3+}$ ion centers in PbGa$_2$S$_4$.