Crystal Structure and Optical Properties of Lu3Al5O12:Ce3+ Obtained by a Colloidal Chemical Synthesis Method

• Published in: Journal of applied spectroscopy Vol. 81; no. 6; pp. 1048 - 1055
• Main Authors: Samoylenko, S. A., Tret’yak, E. V., Shevchenko, G. P., Kichanov, S. E., Kozlenko, D. P., Malashkevich, G. E., Stupak, A. P., Savenko, B. N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 2015
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; neutron diffraction; luminescence; coprecipitation method; lutetium aluminum garnet
• ISSN: 0021-9037; 1573-8647
• DOI: 10.1007/s10812-015-0049-4

We have used a colloidal chemical method to synthesize ultradisperse powders of lutetium aluminum garnet activated by Ce
3+
ions. We used optical spectroscopy, x-ray and neutron diffraction to study their spectral luminescence and structural properties as a function of the activator concentration and the heat treatment conditions for the precursor. We have observed a change in a number of structural parameters of these powders, due to the particular details of their synthesis, which leads to distortion of the crystallographic environment of the Ce
3+
ions and a change in the intensity of their luminescence. We show that among the studied powders, the highest integrated luminescence intensity is observed for an activator concentration of 1.0 at.%, and its maximum is achieved with heat treatment in the range 1200–1300°C.