Investigation of nanostructured Lu2O3:Tb

Abstract

Nano structured Lu2O3, both plane and doped with Tb, was prepared utilizing a combustion technique. The best crystallity of the products can be obtained initiating the reaction within 560-700 $DEGC range of temperature. Tb easily enters the nano scaled host lattice both as Tb3+ and Tb4+. The former gives rise to a typical green emission of the ion, while the later introduces a broad-band visible absorption, due to charge transfer transitions. The green emission of Tb3+ from a raw material may be radically increased by after- preparation heat-treatment. Undoped material gives rise to a blue emission, which disappears when Tb content with respect to Lu reaches 0.0001% or higher level.