Production and optoelectronic response of Tb³⁺ activated gadolinium oxide nanocrystalline phosphors

Nanoscience and Soft Matter Laboratory, Department of Physics, Tezpur University, PO Napaam, Tezpur 784 028, Assam, India

^a e-mail: best@tezu.ernet.in

Received: 7 February 2013
Revised: 11 March 2013
Accepted: 17 April 2013
Published online: 11 June 2013

Abstract

We report on the fabrication and optoelectronic features of Tb³⁺ doped gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanpowders. The nanosystems were found to exhibit cubic crystalline structure with an average crystallite size in the range of 11–24 nm. Inclusion of Tb³⁺ into Gd2O3 host has led to suppression of the optical gap but resulted in the enhanced refractive index of the corresponding nanophosphor. In the PL spectra, apart from the oxygen defect related emissions, Tb³⁺ mediated (0.5% of doping level) improved radiative emissions owing to ⁵D₄→⁷F₆ and ⁵D₄→⁷F₅ transitions were found to be located at ∼492 and ∼548 nm; respectively. Rare earth ion doped rare earth oxide nanopowders may find immediate scope in smart optoelectronic elements and advanced nanometric phosphors.