Synthesis, structural characterization and thermoluminescence glow curve study of gadolinium-doped Y₂O₃nanophosphor

Abstract

Gadolinium-doped Y 2 O 3 nanophosphor was synthesized by a solid-state reaction method, which could be used for large-scale production of phosphors. The structure of the phosphor sample was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, field emission gun scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The particle size was calculated from Scherer's formula. X-ray diffraction showed a grain size of 35-55 nm, in good agreement with the scanning electron microscopy image. The synthesized sample showed good morphology and connectivity, with grains and formation of a nano-sized prepared sample. The diffraction pattern was measured by transmission electron microscopy with a selected area diffraction pattern. The prepared phosphor was also examined by thermoluminescence; to record the glow curve, 1 mg phosphor was irradiated with ultraviolet at 254 nm at a fixed heating rate of 7 • C s −1 . The sample showed a well-resolved peak at 99 • C for 1 mol% of Gd 3+ . A lower temperature peak showed less stability and more fading of the prepared sample. A thermoluminescence glow curve gives information about trapping parameters such as activation energy and trap depth, order of kinetics and frequency. All the kinetics were calculated by the peak shape method.

UV ray-induced thermoluminescence study of Y2SiO5:Ce3+ phosphor

“…The electrons that transitioned from the conduction band were either re-trapped at the trap level or defect centre or at the hole trap or luminescence centre, where they recombine with holes, giving rise to luminescence or the glow peak. Trapped charge carriers are found inside the forbidden band gap, as confirmed by the calculated trap parameters [19,20].…”

Efficient route for preparation of Nd3+ doped Y2O3 nanoparticles at intermediate temperature

“…RE-doped yttria nanopowders have been synthesized by several methods, such as hydrolysis, combustion, high-temperature solid-state reactions, sol-gel, precipitation, molten salt, solvothermal, hydrothermal, etc. In almost all the mentioned methods of producing yttrium oxide with or without RE-dopants, due to the amorphous nature of as-prepared samples, high-temperature crystallization reaches up to 1700 °C to obtain a highly crystalline state, which directly leads to an increase in the average particle size [ [1] , [2] , [3] , [16] , [17] , [18] , [19] , [20] , [21] , [22] , [23] , [24] , [25] , [26] , [27] , [28] , [29] , [30] , [31] , [32] , [33] ]. Of course, Chen et al reported the production of yttria in micron dimensions at a temperature of 600 °C [ 20 ].…”