“…The aim of the present study is to analyze thoroughly the excitation recombination mechanisms of impurity lu-1 minescence in CaSO 4 :Tb 3+ and CaSO 4 :Gd 3+ phosphors, where the effective charge of RE 3+ ions substituting for Ca 2+ cations is compensated by either Na + ions [similar to 1,8] or F -ions. It has been shown earlier [see, e.g., 9,10] that at least three different types of recombination impurity luminescence occur in face-centered cubic alkali halide crystals doped with mercury-like s 2 ions (In + , Sn 2+ , Tl + , Pb 2+ ): (i) electron recombination luminescence, when conduction electrons ( ) recombine with the holes ( ) localized at/near impurity centers, (ii) hole recombination luminescence caused by the recombination of mobile holes with the electrons localized at/near impurity ions, and (iii) tunnel luminescence connected with the recombination between localized but spatially close and .…”