Time-resolved fluorescence line-narrowing of Eu^3+ in biocompatible eutectic glass-ceramics

The spectroscopic properties of Eu(3+) in biocompatible glass and glass-ceramic eutectic rods of composition 0.8CaSiO(3)-0.2Ca(3)(PO(4))(2) doped with 0.5 wt% of Eu(2)O(3) are investigated to explore their potential applications as optical probes. The samples were obtained by the laser floating zone technique. Depending on the growth rate, they exhibit three (two crystalline and one amorphous) or two (one crystalline and one amorphous) phases. The crystalline phases correspond to Ca(2)SiO(4) and apatite-like structures. At high growth rates the system presents an amorphous arrangement which gives a glass phase. The results of time-resolved fluorescence line narrowing spectroscopy obtained under excitation within the inhomogeneous broadened (7)F(0)→(5)D(0) absorption band allow to isolate the emission from Eu(3+) ions in the crystalline and amorphous environments and to accurately correlate the spectroscopic properties with the microstructure of these eutectics.