Effects of crystal size, structure and quenching on the photoluminescence emission intensity, lifetime and quantum yield of ZrO2:Eu3+ nanocrystals

• Published in: Journal of luminescence 2014-03, Vol.147, p.328-335
• Main Authors: Meetei, Sanoujam Dhiren, Singh, Shougaijam Dorendrajit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cold working, work hardening; annealing, quenching, tempering, recovery, and recrystallization; textures; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Crystal size; Crystal structure; Crystals; Emission analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Luminescence; Materials science; Nanocrystal; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanocrystals; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Photoluminescence; Physics; Quantum yield; Quenching; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Structure of specific crystalline solids; Treatment of materials and its effects on microstructure and properties; Zirconium dioxide
• ISSN: 0022-2313; 1872-7883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jlumin.2013.11.064

Properties of crystalline materials which depend on crystal size are of fundamental issues in the present advancement of nanocrystals. Understanding effects of crystal size on the materials' properties needs knowledge of the effects of associated parameters which give rise to the particular size. In this work, various crystal size of Eu3+ doped ZrO2 nanocrystals are synthesized by polyol, hydrothermal and simple-precipitation techniques. X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence emission intensity, lifetime and quantum yield of ZrO2:Eu3+ nanocrystals are studied exhaustively. Transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and energy dispersive analysis of x-ray of the samples are also reported. Effects of crystal size and its associated parameters viz. crystal structure and luminescence quenching on emission intensity, lifetime and quantum yield of ZrO2:Eu3+ nanocrystals are studied at length. Effect of crystal structure dominates over quenching at large crystal size while, quenching dominates over the effect of crystal structure at smaller crystal size. Fundamental importance to study the effects of crystal size, structure and quenching on photoluminescence of a doped nanocrystal is elucidated. Quantum yield of 27.72% from ZrO2:Eu3+ nanocrystal (7nm) is also reported. •PL intensity, lifetime and quantum yield of nanocrystal varies with crystal size.•Variation of crystal size results in variation of crystal structure and quenching.•Effect of crystal structure dominates over quenching at large crystal size.•Quenching dominates over the effect of crystal structure at smaller crystal size.•Quantum yield of 27.72% can be obtained from ZrO2:Eu3+ nanocrystal of 7nm.