Effect of heat-treatment temperature on the luminescent properties of Lu2O3:Eu film prepared by Pechini sol–gel method

Lutetium oxide (Lu2O3) films were prepared by a simple Pechini sol–gel method with LuCl3 6H2O as precursor for the first time. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis were used to study the thermal chemistry properties of dried gel. Structural properties of Lu2O3 films heat-treated at different temperature were investigated through X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results show that Lu2O3 starts to crystallize at about 400 8C and the crystallite size increases with the increasing annealing temperature. The dopant Eu3+ presents its typical emission in Lu2O3:Eu films. The effect of heat-treatment temperature on the luminescent properties (broadening of emission peak and change of lifetimes of energy level) of the films was also discussed