Spectroscopic and structural effects of Co2+ in lithium zinc niobate host matrices

This study reports on the synthesis of lithium zinc niobate host (LiZnNbO 4 ) through the acetate method and its structural, optical and colorimetric properties in combination with LiNbO 3 or ZnO as secondary phases, and its properties as a single phase. The assessed samples were undoped and Co 2+ -doped. The doping effect and the presence of secondary phases on the samples’ properties were investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The optical band gap (E g ) and the colorimetric coordinates were obtained from the DRS spectra. Adding ZnO to the Co 2+ -doped sample decreased its emission intensity and changed its color from blue to green-blue. No similar effects were observed in the LiZnNbO 4 -LiNbO 3 sample. The optical band gap decreased after Co 2+ addition.