Hydrothermal synthesis and luminescent properties of Y2O3:Tb3+ and Gd2O3:Tb3+ microrods

One-dimensional (1D) Y2O3:Tb3+ and Gd2O3:Tb3+ microrods have been successfully prepared through a large-scale and facile hydrothermal method followed by a subsequent calcination process in N-2/H-2 mixed atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy-dispersive X-ray spectra (EDX). scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the samples. The as-formed products via the hydrothermal process could transform to cubic Y2O3:Tb3+ and Gd2O3:Tb3+ with the same morphology and slight shrinking in size after a postannealing process. Both Y2O3:Tb3+ and Gd2O3:Tb3+ microrods exhibit strong green emission corresponding to D-5(4) -> F-7(5) transition (542 nm) of Tb3+ under UV light excitation (307 and 258 nm, respectively), and low-voltage electron beam excitation (1.5 -> 3.5 kV). which have potential applications in fluorescent lamps and field emission displays. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.