Preparation and scintillating properties of Sol-Gel Eu(3+), TB(3+) co-doped Lu(2)O(3) nanopowders.
Nanocrystalline Eu(3+), Tb(3+) co-doped Lu(2)O(3) powders with a maximum size of 25.5 nm were prepared by the sol-gel process, using lutetium, europium and terbium nitrates as precursors, and ethanol as a solvent. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) and infrared spectroscopy (IR) were used to study the chemical changes during the xerogel annealing. After the sol evaporation at 100 °C, the formed gel was annealed from 300 to 900 °C for 30 min under a rich O(2) atmosphere, and the yielded product was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to characterize the microstructural behavior and confirm the crystalline structure. The results showed that Lu(2)O(3) nanopowders start to crystallize at 400 °C and that the crystallite size increases along with the annealing temperature. A transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study of samples annealed at 700 and 900 °C was carried out in order to analyze the microstructure, as well as the size, of crystallites. Finally, in regard to scintillating properties, Eu(3+) dopant (5 mol%), Tb(3+) codoped Lu(2)O(3) exhibited a typical red emission at 611 nm (D(°)→(7)F(2)), furthermore, the effect of Tb(3+) molar content (0.01, 0.015 and 0.02% mol) on the Eu(3+) radioluminiscence was analyzed and it was found that the higher emission intensity corresponds to the lower Tb(3+) content.
Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CIITEC IPN, Cerrada de Cecati S/N. Col. Santa Catarina, Azcapotzalco Mexico D.F. C.P. 02250, Mexico; E-Mails:  amoralesra@ipn.mx  (Á.J.M.R.);  fcarrillo@ipn.mx  (F.J.C.R.);  margarciah@ipn.mx  (M.G.H.);  maruizg@ipn.mx  (R.R.G.).
Angel
A
de Jesús Morales Ramírez
Antonieta García
AG
Murillo
Felipe
F
de Jesús Carrillo Romo
Margarita García
MG
Hernández
Joel Moreno
JM
Palmerin
Rosario Ruiz
RR
Guerrero
D003460:Crystallization; D005063:Europium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D049449:Luminescence; D008187:Lutetium / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D044367:Phase Transition; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013725:Terbium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D044366:Transition Temperature; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D005782:Gels; D010087:Oxides; D013725:Terbium; D005063:Europium; D008187:Lutetium; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate