NANOSYSTEMS: PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, MATHEMATICS, 2020, 11 (1), P. 117–122
Microwave synthesis and studies room temperature optical properties of LaF3: Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+ nanocrystals
Sidheshwar G Gaurkhede – Department of Physics, Bhavan’s College of Science, Andheri (W) Mumbai – 400058, India; s.gaurkhede@gmail.com
Lanthanum fluoride (LaF3: Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+) was synthesized by water soluble LaCl3 + CeCl3+ PrCl3 + NdCl3 and NH4F as starting materials in de-ionized water as solvent using microwave assisted technique. The structure of LaF3: Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+ nanocrystals analyzed by XRD and TEM analysis is found to be in hexagonal structure and average crystalline particle size is 20 nm (JCPDS standard card (32-0483) of pure hexagonal LaF3 crystals). The absorption edge in UV spectra is found at 250 nm corresponding to energy of 4.9 eV. It further shows a wide transparent window lying between 200 nm–800 nm. For LaF3: Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+ nanocrystals emission of blue color (458 nm) has been observed with at an excitation wavelength of 254 nm. The measured relative second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency of LaF3: Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+ in de-ionized water with respect to KDP crystal is 0.186.
Keywords: Microwave radiation, Hexagonal shape, X-ray diffraction, Luminescent, SHG.
PACS 61.05.cp, 77.22.d
DOI 10.17586/2220-8054-2020-11-1-117-122
