One‐Step Synthesis of Luminescent Nanoparticles of Complex Oxide, Strontium Aluminate

An organic aqueous solution of metal acetylacetonate precursors was subjected to spray pyrolysis in order to fabricate SrAl 2 O 4 :Eu (SAO) nanoparticles. Non‐agglomerated luminescent SAO nanoparticles, having a spherical shape with a size of 10–30 nm, were achieved in a single step, while only submicrometer‐sized SAO particles were obtained from the conventional ultrasonic pyrolysis of the metal nitrates. Without any post‐annealing process, the as‐prepared SAO nanoparticles were observed to exhibit a strong photoluminescence, which is comparable with that of the submicrometer‐sized SAO particles. A mechanism for the formation of the nanoparticles is also discussed.