Structural and optical studies of Eu3+/nanocrystallites doped titania–zirconia hybrids

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds 2014-12, Vol.615, p.188-193
• Main Authors: Karthika, S., Sajna, M.S., Thomas, Sunil, Revathy, K.P., Biju, P.R., Unnikrishnan, N.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Exact sciences and technology; Nanocrystallites; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of low-dimensional, mesoscopic, and nanoscale materials and structures; Phonon sideband; Physics; Rare earth; Sol–gel
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2014.06.155

•PSB of Eu3+/CdS/CdSe:TiO2–ZrO2 imply vibrational and electronic transition coupling.•Asymmetric ratio and non radiative multi-phonon decay rate are analysed.•Correlation between the Raman spectrum and PSB analysis is examined. Titania–zirconia matrices co-doped with europium ions and CdS/CdSe nanocrystallites were prepared through the sol–gel route. The phonon sideband (PSB) analysis of the excitation spectrum provides information about the coupling between vibrational modes and electronic transitions. The vibrational state energy and the local site symmetry in the titania–zirconia matrix around Eu3+ ions were investigated in detail. The emission spectrum intensities of electric dipole transitions, with respect to magnetic dipole transition, gives a measure of the distortion from the inversion symmetry around the Eu3+ site. The vibrational state bands along with Raman measurements give information on the structural units in the vicinity of the dopant ion. A correlation between the Raman spectral data and phonon sideband analysis yields an average structure of the bulk glass and a near estimate of the maximum vibrational state energy.