Controllable synthesis of ultra-long YCexOy:Eu3+ nanowire arrays and fluorescence activation of Ce3+

Abstract

Ultra-long YCexOy:Eu3+ nanowire arrays(NWAs) have been synthesized in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates by chemical co-deposition at negative pressure suction, which are amorphous, and possess precise dimension and homogeneous morphologies. The SEM, TEM, XRD and EDS were employed to investigate the morphology, structure and elemental composition of YCexOy:Eu3+ NWAs. The fluorescence properties of the YCexOy:Eu3+ NWAs were measured by fluorescence spectrometer (PerkinElmer LS-55) using Xenon discharge lamp as the excitation light source. There are two emission peaks at 615 nm and 702 nm with excitation wavelength of 394 nm, which corresponds to the 5D0-2F2 and 5D0-7F4 energy level transition of Eu3+, respectively. The fluorescence intensity of YCexOy:Eu3+ NWAs is related to the doping concentration of Eu3+ ion, which reaches a maximum with doping concentration of Eu3+ at 8%, and remarkably decreases at higher concentrations. Ce3+ ion dominates the fluorescence activation in YCexOy:Eu3+ NWAs.