Phase formation and UV luminescence of Gd3+ doped perovskite-type YScO3

Synthesis of pure and Gd3+ doped perovskite-type YScO3 was attempted by a polymerized complex (PC) method and solid state reaction (SSR) method. Crystalline phases and UV luminescence of samples were examined with varying heating temperatures. The perovskite-type single phase was not simply formed in the SSR method, as reported in some literatures, and two cubic C-type phases of starting oxide materials remained forming slightly mixed solid solutions. UV luminescence of Gd3+ doped samples increased with an increase in heating temperatures and volume of the perovskite-type phase. In contrast, a non-crystalline precursor was crystallized to a single C-type phase at 800 degrees C in the PC method forming a completely mixed solid solution. Then, the phase of perovskite-type YScO3 formed at 1200 degrees C and its single phase was obtained at 1400 degrees C. It was revealed that high homogeneousness of cations was essential to generate the single perovskite-phase of YScO3. Because Gd3+ ions were also dissolved into the single C-type phase in Gd3+ doped samples, intense UV luminescence was observed above 800 degrees C in both C-type phase and perovskite-type phase. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.