Preparation and properties of nanocrystalline powders in (Y1−xCex)3Al5O12 system

Nano-sized cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce) phosphors were synthesized via a simple sol–gel process using metal nitrate precursors. The prepared phosphors were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, respectively. Pure cubic garnet phase was formed at temperatures ∼900 οC. The particle sizes of as-prepared powders were mostly in the range of 17–27 nm. The crystalline YAG:Ce showed broad emission peaks in the range of 400–700 nm and maximum intensities at 500 and 520 nm. It is found also that the emission intensity decreased with increasing Ce doping concentration from 0.1 to 1.5 at%. With increasing Ce doping concentration, the PL intensity was shifted towards shorter wavelengths.