Photo and cathodoluminescence characteristics of dysprosium doped yttrium oxide nanoparticles prepared by Polyol method

The luminescent characteristics of Dy3+-doped Y2O3 nanopowders synthesized using the polyol method are reported. The Y2O3 nanoparticles presented a cubic phase crystalline structure of Y2O3 after an annealing treatment in oxygen ambient at temperatures above 600 °C. The averaged crystallite size determined from the X-ray diffraction peaks width was in the 20–32 nm range depending on the annealing temperature. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies indicate the formation of nanoparticle aggregates up to 175 nm in diameter. Photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence measurements show a predominant emission at 573 nm, which is attributed to the 4F9/2→6H13/2 of the Dy3+ ion. The luminescence emission dependence with the dopant concentration and post-annealing temperatures is discussed.