Open AccessDoping concentration induced phase transition in Eu^3+-doped β-PbF_2 nano-particles
Author(s) -
Hui Guo,
Hua Yu,
Xinxing Zhang,
Lifen Chang,
Zijian Lan,
Yiming Li,
Lijuan Zhao
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.21.024742
Subject(s) - doping , dopant , materials science , tetragonal crystal system , europium , photoluminescence , phase (matter) , analytical chemistry (journal) , phase transition , nano , lanthanide , spectroscopy , condensed matter physics , chemistry , luminescence , optoelectronics , ion , chromatography , physics , organic chemistry , composite material , quantum mechanics
Europium doped β-PbF₂ nano-particles with different doping concentration are prepared to investigate the site structure of Eu³⁺ dopants. It is concluded that the site symmetry of Eu³⁺ dopants in β-PbF₂ nano-particles lowers from O(h)to D(4h) with the increase of doping concentration. By X-ray diffraction analysis and photoluminescence spectroscopy study, a doping concentration induced phase transition from lowly doped cubic Pb₃EuF₉ to highly doped tetragonal PbEuF₅ is detected. The intermediate phase of moderately doped nano-particles, which contains both phases mentioned above, is observed for the first time. Moreover, the temperature-dependent intermediate phase analysis suggests that the tetragonal phase is more stable than the cubic phase, which is also confirmed by the first-principle calculations. Our results suggest that the doping concentration induced phase transition in β-PbF₂ nano-particles can be used for understanding other Lanthanide-doped nano-particle systems.