Spectral-kinetic properties of LaF3 nanoparticles doped with Ce3+ and Sm3+ ions after microwave treatment and in core-shell structure

Abstract

Crystalline LaF 3 :Sm 3+ and LaF 3 :Ce 3+ nanoparticles were fabricated via a co-precipitation method. The obtained nanoparticles were 15-20 nm and had good crystallinity. Spectral-kinetic properties of crystalline LaF 3 nanoparticles activated with 5 % Sm 3+ and 12 % Ce 3+ ions were studied. Various duration of the microwave treatment as well as core-shell structure were studied as possible ways to control quenching in the nanoparticles. In case of the LaF 3 :Sm 3+ nanoparticles, the additional microwave treatment increased the average luminescence lifetime by 6 % and addition of the LaF 3 shell increased it by 18 %. In case of the LaF 3 :Ce 3+ sample, microwave treatment increased the average lifetime by up to 20 %. The observed effects of varying the synthetic conditions and composite core-shell structure on luminescence properties of nanoparticles provide a means to manage the energy loss in the nanoparticles due to the quenching factors.