Improved photoluminescence properties of red YVO4: Eu3+ thin films deposited by laser ablation: Influence of deposition time

Abstract

YVO4:Eu3+ thin films were deposited at room temperature, using pulse laser deposition with deposition time ranging from 30, 45, and 60 min. The oxygen deposition background pressure was kept constant at 5 mTorr. XRD analysis confirmed that samples were tetragonal in shape. An improvement in crystallinity of the films was observed when deposition time was increased. The estimated crystallite size increased from 52 to 69 nm as the deposition time increased from 30 to 60 min, respectively. According to SEM images, particles agglomerated as deposition time increased, and a homogeneous surface was observed for a film deposited at 45 min. A rough surface with larger particles was observed for the sample deposited at 60 min. PL emission spectra of YVO4:Eu3+ showed that the prominent emission peaks were due to 5Dj→7Fj transitions of Eu3+. The strongest red emission peak at 618 nm is due to transition 5D0→7F2. An increase in deposition time showed an improvement in the PL intensity of the thin films.