Sc2O3:Ce3+ nanocrystals: Fluorescence and its dependence on the surrounding gas pressure

The fluorescence spectra of nanocrystalline powder samples of Sc2O3:Ce3+ prepared by the sol–gel process were studied. The strong shift of the fluorescence spectra with the excitation wavelength was observed. The effect of the surrounding gaseous medium on 4f05d1→4f1 fluorescence of Ce3+ ions in nanoparticles, discovered earlier in YAG:Ce3+, was also observed and studied in Sc2O3:Ce3+. The fluorescence intensity and the excitation power dependence of fluorescence dramatically depend on the pressure of the gaseous media.