The luminescence of Zr–Eu–O–N materials Original Research Article

The optical properties of Zr–Eu–O and Zr–Eu–O–N ceramic powders are investigated using reflectance and luminescence spectroscopy, and decay time measurements. A sensitization of the Eu(III) luminescence due to the nitrogen incorporated in the doped zirconia lattice is described. The nitrogen incorporation leads to the formation of Eu(III) sites without inversion symmetry of the environment and changes the optical properties of doped oxides. The Eu(III) luminescence spectra, decay times and overall luminescence intensity for samples containing between 1 and 10 mol% Eu2O3 are discussed. Room temperature Eu(III) luminescence is a useful indicator for solid–solid transitions.