Synthesis and photoluminescent properties of yttrium vanadate phosphor prepared by the non-hydrolytic sol-gel process

We used the non-hydrolytic sal-gel route to synthesize YVO4 crystalline phases doped with europium III ion. We heat-treated the samples at 600, 800, and 1000 degrees C and characterized the materials by thermal analysis, Xray diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering, and photoluminescence. Larger weight loss occurred until 500 degrees C, ascribed to removal of residual precursor molecules. X-ray diffraction patterns evidenced YVO4 phase formation at 600 degrees C. The crystallite size depended on the heat treatment temperature. SAXS showed that the nature of the system interfaces changed as a function of the thermal treatment. The excitation spectra of the samples displayed the charge transfer band. The photoluminescence data revealed the characteristic transition bands arising from the D-5(0)-> F-5(J) (J=0, 1, 2, 3, and 4) manifolds under maximum excitation at the charge transfer band and the L-5(6) level of the Eu3+ ion. The D-5(0)-> F-7(2) transition dominated the emission spectra, indicating that the Eu3+ ion occupies a site without inversion center. The lifetime and quantum efficiency values were about 0.70 ms and 50%, respectively, corroborating literature results. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.