Spectroscopic properties of Nd3+ ions in YAP nano-perovskites

Yttrium aluminium nano-perovskite doped with different concentrations of Nd3+ (YAP: Nd3+) were successfully synthesized by the Pechini sol-gel method at 1200 degrees C and 1550 degrees C. X-ray powder diffraction patterns confirmed the monoclinic and orthorhombic structure space group P2/m and Puma for the samples treated at 1200 degrees C and 1550 degrees C respectively. Yttrium aluminium garnet phase was detected in both treatments, being more noticeable at 1200 degrees C treated samples. The non-equivalent center nature of these samples was observed performing site selection spectroscopy, confirming the presence of two different sites for the Nd3+ ions in the samples, associated with perovskite and garnet phases, previously detected in XRD measurements. The study of the luminescence dynamics of YAP: Nd3+ nano-perovskites treated at 1550 degrees C for all concentrations was carried out, confirming the existence of the energy transfer between Nd3+ ions. Time resolved spectroscopy allowed to confirm that the thermal treatment at 1550 degrees C was the proper one in order to obtain nano-perovskites.