Preparation, characterization and luminescence property of YPO4:Eu nanocrystals

Co‐precipitation reaction soft chemistry method was employed to prepare fine YPO4:Eu3+ phosphor particles calcined at different temperature. Adjusting appropriate pH and introducing lithium may greatly affect the particle size of the sample and further affect the luminescence intensity. The as‐prepared samples were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron micrograph (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The XRD patterns of YPO4:Eu3+ have only peaks of tetragonal xenotime and the sizes of particles range from 8 to 12 nm without Li2CO3 flux. The addition of Li2CO3 flux to precursor leads to a morphological modification for both the shape and size of the final phosphor, further affect the luminescence intensity. From the fluorescence spectra the emission transition 5D0 → 7F1 is more prominent than the normal red emission transition (5D0 → 7F2). (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)