Abstract

La2TeO6 nanocrystals doped with Eu3+ ions have been prepared by the Pechini sal-gel process. A total of seven samples obtained with different Eu3+ concentrations (1-7%). The Eu3+ ions are usually taken as probe ions to test the local structure of the lanthanide in solids. Analyzing the luminescence has been shown two different sites for the Eu3+ ions (in good agreement with the crystallographic analysis). Moreover, the luminescence properties have been analyzed as function of the Eu3+ doping concentration in order to study the interaction between these ions. Under direct excitation into the D-5(0) level (at 578 nm) the corresponding decay curves show a pure exponential character independently of the Eu3+ concentration. However, the decay curves obtained for the D-5(1) level becomes non-exponential for the higher doped nanocrystals samples indicating that the energy transfer processes are important. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.