Studies on crystal structure, morphology, optical and photoluminescence properties of flake-like Sb doped Y2O3 nanostructures

In the present research work, Sb doped Y2O3 nano structures (NS) with different concentrations (5%, 8% and 10%) synthesized by self propogating room temperature method. Nanostructures are characterized by UV–visible, XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron) spectroscopic techniques. Flake-like morphology of the NS observed in SEM analysis having grain size varies in between 65 and 93 nm. Chemical composition of the constituent elements has been determined from XPS analysis with Sb 3d3/2, Sb 3d5/2, Y 3d3/2 and Y 3d5/2 binding energies appeared at 540 eV, 530 eV, 165.8 eV and 154.4 eV, respectively. XRD pattern depicted mixed phase of cubic crystal structure with crystallite size lying between 36.8 and 29.9 nm. Red shift in the optical absorptivity was observed in the spectrum, and spectral shift from ultraviolet to visible region with optical band gap (Eg) value decreases from 3.36 to 1.98 eV. Upon excitation with ultraviolet radiation (λexcitation = 280 nm), NS showed red emission in all concentrations of Sb dopant and maximal emission intensity appeared at 475.5 nm for 10% of Sb dopant concentration. The NS finds prominent utility in the field of optoelectronics and photoelectronics applications.