Triboluminescence dominated by crystallographic orientation

Abstract

Triboluminescence (TL) is an optical phenomenon that has a long and varied history with broad applications, such as damage detection, X-ray source, and mass health monitoring sensor. So far, the properties and mechanisms of TL remain not completely understood. The TL properties emitted during the sliding contact between Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 surfaces were studied along different crystallographic orientations. In this study, the TL intensity of Al 2 O 3 was significantly enhanced as Al 2 O 3 surface was along a particular crystallographic orientation, which is an unconventional phenomenon. TL enhancement of Al 2 O 3 was not affected by air atmosphere and atomic stocking mode of Al 2 O 3. The enhancement mechanism of Al 2 O 3 may be influenced by the surface state of Al 2 O 3. This work provides a new method to control the intensity of TL and novel ideas to elucidate the TL mechanism.