Structural and luminescent properties of Gd oxide doped with Eu3+ embedded in mesopores of SiO2 particles

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds 2016-09, Vol.678, p.434-438
• Main Authors: Orekhova, K.N., Eurov, D.A., Kurdyukov, D.A., Golubev, V.G., Kirilenko, D.A., Kravets, V.A., Zamoryanskaya, M.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cathodoluminescence; Gadolinium oxide doped with europium; Mesoporous silica; Oxide materials; Rare earth alloys and compounds; RE-Doped insulators
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2016.04.017

In this work, we investigated monodisperse spherical particles of mesoporous silica filled with gadolinium and europium oxide based material (admittedly – gadolinium oxide doped with europium) – mSiO2/a-Gd2O3:Eu3+. The composition of the samples was studied by the electron microprobe analysis. The size distribution and shape of the particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Structural properties of the material were studied by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis. The local cathodoluminescence (CL) technique was used to study luminescent properties of the material and to thoroughly investigate its structural features. It was demonstrated that CL study of the material enables to identify local environment of luminescent centers that is hard to investigate with conventional structural analysis techniques. The comprehensive study made it possible to conclude that with the suggested synthesis technique the gadolinium and europium based material inside SiO2 mesopores reacts with Si forming an amorphous oxyapatite-like structure that crystalizes into hexagonal Gd4.67(SiO4)3O with P63/m space group. [Display omitted] •Gd-based material synthesized in mesopores (3 nm) of mSiO2 particles was investigated.•Cathodoluminescence method was used for identification of the local symmetry of RE3+ ions.•Particles annealed @600 °C didn't show any presence of long-range order in their structure.•Material in particles additionally annealed @1000 °C crystallized into Gd4.67(SiO4)3O.•CL spectra proved identical local environment of RE3+ in both samples.