Ion-Exchange Synthesis of Rare-Earth Species of Yttrium Aluminum Garnet on a Cation-Exchange Matrix

The ion-exchange synthesis of Nd³⁺ and Eu³⁺ ion-doped yttrium aluminum garnet is reported. It involves a pre-synthesized cation-exchange material based on sulfurized polystyrene. All samples are found to crystallize within the garnet structure with symmetry space group Ia3d. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns do not contain maxima corresponding to own REE compounds, which indirectly confirms the formation of solid substitution solutions. The photoluminescence spectra demonstrate emission bands characteristic of trivalent europium ions in the visible spectral range and of neodymium in the nearest IR spectral range respectively.