SPECTRAL-KINETIC PROPERTIES AND ENERGY TRANSFER IN NANOPARTICLES OF Y0.5–xCe0.5TbxF3 SOLID SOLUTION

Abstract

The crystalline nanoparticles of Y_0.5–xCe_0.5Tb_xF₃, doped with Tb³⁺ ions with various concentrations (x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2) were synthesized via co-precipitation method. The crystal structure and chemical composition of the nanoparticles were studied using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray diffractometry. The obtained nanoparticles of solid solutions had an elliptical shape with a size of 10—15 nm along the long axis and good crystallinity with the structure of a CeF₃ crystal. The spectral-kinetic properties of the obtained nanoparticles, as well as the effect of the concentration of Tb³⁺ activator ions on the energy transfer from Ce³⁺ to Tb³⁺ ions were investigated. Energy transfer from Ce³⁺ to Tb³⁺ ions in nanocrystals of the Y_0.5–xCe_0.5Tb_xF₃ solid solutions occurs mainly through the dipole-dipole interaction. The results of evaluating the efficiency of energy transfer from Ce³⁺ to Tb³⁺ ions show its increase with increasing the concentration of Tb³⁺ ions.