Photoluminescence of Dy3+ ions in yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide with different phases

Pechini sol–gel method was used to prepare Y3+ ions-doped ZrO2:Dy nanocrystalline. Experimental results reveal that high-quality nanopowders with controlled particle size about 30 nm was obtained and the particles have a regular shape of spherical morphology. The concentration of yttrium is 0, 3 and 7 mol% levels, to provide monoclinic, tetragonal and cubic phases, respectively. The photoluminescence properties of Dy3+ in different ZrO2 phase are obviously different, behaving as the different number of peaks in the spectra and the enhanced luminescent intensity of Dy3+ ions doped in tetragonal and cubic phases.