Luminescence studies on ZnO–P2O5 glasses doped with Gd2O3:Eu nanoparticles and Eu2O3

Zinc phosphate glasses doped with Gd2O3:Eu nanoparticles and Eu2O3 were prepared by conventional melt-quench method and characterized for their luminescence properties. Binary ZnO–P2O5 glass is characterized by an intrinsic defect centre emission around 324 nm. Strong energy transfer from these defect centres to Eu3+ ions has been observed when Eu2O3 is incorporated in ZnO–P2O5 glasses. Lack of energy transfer from these defect centres to Eu3+ in Gd2O3:Eu nanoparticles doped ZnO–P2O5 glass has been attributed to effective shielding of Eu3+ ions from the luminescence centre by Gd–O–P type of linkages, leading to an increased distance between the luminescent centre and Eu3+ ions. Both doped and undoped glasses have the same glass transition temperature, suggesting that the phosphate network is not significantly affected by the Gd2O3:Eu nanoparticles or Eu2O3 incorporation.