Synthesis and luminescence study of Eu3+ in Zn2SiO4 nanocrystals

The sol-emulsion-gel method is used for the preparation of Eu3+ doped Zn2SiO4 nanoparticles. The luminescence spectra at 613 nm (D-5(0) —> F-7(2)) and lifetime of the excited state of Eu3+ ions doped Zn2SiO4 nanocrystals are also found to be sensitive to the concentration (0.25-2.5 mol%) of ions. In case of 1000 degreesC annealed sample (0.25 mol% Eu3+) showed the single component decay of 2.02 ms. However, with increasing the concentration the decay is biexponential. We attribute this to an inter-ion exchange interaction wherein the more rapid decay is due to pair or cluster formation and the longer-lived emission originates from isolated ions within the insulating host. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved