Structure, spectroscopy and dielectric properties of BaTiO3:Eu3+ nanocrystallites prepared by the sol–gel method*

Eu3+-doped BaTiO3 nanocrystalline powders have been obtained by sol–gel method. Their morphol-ogy, structure and dielectric properties have been investigated as a function of sintering temperature. The powders sintered at the temperatures below 800 °C demonstrate luminescence behaviour characteristic of the inversed symmetry Eu3+ sites, where only the 5D0 ® 7F1 transitions are allowed. Above this tempera-ture the system undergoes a phase transition characterized by lack of inversion symmetry enabling the dipole–electric transitions. Key words: barium titanate, europium, nanocrystallites, sol–gel processing, luminescence 1