Structural and optical study of yttrium oxide co-doped with bismuth and zinc prepared by sol-gel method

Abstract

Bismuth and zinc co-doped Y₂O₃ samples are synthesized by sol-gel method using ammonium hydroxide as a precipitating agent. Structural analysis is done by XRD, SEM- EDAX and the optical properties are analysed by FTIR, UV-Vis absorption studies and photoluminescence (PL) studies. UV-Vis absorption studies show absorption only around 340 nm whereas PL shows peaks around 401 nm, 680 nm and 1020 nm forY₂O₃ co-doped with bismuth and zinc_. The PL spectrum shows emission in violet region (401 nm) due to zinc dopant and red and NIR region (680 nm and 1020 nm) due to the bismuth dopant. This is a new material which can effectively work as an efficient and cheap red phosphor.