title: Effect of annealing on down-conversion properties of monoclinic Gd2O3:Er3+ nanophosphors.
abstract: Erbium-doped nano-sized Gd2O3 phosphor was prepared by a solution combustion method in the presence of urea as a fuel. The phosphor was characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of the XRD shows that the phosphor has a monoclinic phase, which was further confirmed by the TEM results. Particle size was calculated by the Debye-Scherrer formula. The erbium-doped Gd2O3 nanophosphor was revealed to have good down-conversion (DC) properties and the intensity of phosphor could be modified by annealing. The effects of annealing at 900°C on the particle size and luminescence properties were studied and compared with freshly prepared Gd2O3:Er(3+) nanoparticles. The average particle sizes were calculated as 8 and 20 nm for the freshly prepared samples and samples annealed at 900°C for 1 h, respectively. The results show that both freshly prepared and annealed Gd2O3:Er(3+) have monoclinic structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Bhilai Institute of Technology (Seth Balkrishan Memorial), Near Bhilai House, Durg (C.G.), Pin-491001, India.
authors.forename: Raunak Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Tamrakar
authors.affiliation: School of Studies in Physics and Astrophysics, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur (C.G.), Pin-491001, India.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Bisen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Shri Shankaracharya Vidyalaya, Hudco, Bhilai (C.G.), India.
authors.forename: Kanchan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Upadhyay
mesh_terms: D004871:Erbium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry*; D049449:Luminescence; D049408:Luminescent Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D049408:Luminescent Agents; C030581:gadolinium oxide; D004871:Erbium; D005682:Gadolinium
keywords: EDX; Gd2O3:Er3+ phosphor; SEM; TEM; XRD; annealing; photo-luminescence