Preparation and Luminescent Characteristics of LaPO4∶Eu Nanoparticles and Nanowires

Nanoparticles and nanowires of LaPO 4: Eu phosphors were synthesized by hydrothermal method. Their luminescent properties including electronic transition, surface effect, and temperature-dependent luminescent characteristics were systemically studied and compared to the bulk powders. It can be concluded that in comparison with the bulk powders, the fluorescence intensity decreases in nanoparticles and nanowires, while the lifetime increases, indicating that the radiative transition rate decreases. The nonradiative transition rate in nanowires decreases than that in nanoparticles due to its decreased surface to volume ratio. The temperature-dependent experiments indicate that the thermal quenching in nanopowders becomes weaker than that in the bulk powders.