On tuning the spectroscopic properties of LaAlO3:Pr3+ nanocrystallites

In this study we report the preparation and spectroscopic properties of nanosized crystallites LaAlO3 doped with Pr3+ (1 mol%) and traces of Cr3+ ions, produced by the precipitation method. A new material has been obtained whose spectroscopic properties differ nominally from the same bulk of LaAlO3:Pr3+. It was observed that with increase in the nano-LaAlO3 sample diameter above 110 nm the perovskite structure changes from cubic to rhombohedral. As a result, the bigger samples have two orders of magnitudes of higher emission intensity when compared to the smaller ones. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.