Microstructure and photoluminescence properties of Er3+/LaBiO3 co-modified (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 transparent textured ceramics via tape-casting method

Abstract

A trade-off contradictory relationship between texturization and optical transparency exists in ferroelectric ceramics, so to achieve transparency in textured ferroelectrics is quite difficult. Here, Er3+ and LaBiO3 co-modified (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 (1Er-KNN-yLB) transparent textured ceramics were successfully prepared by the tape-casting method. Doping of LaBiO3 enables the textured ceramics to exhibit excellent up-conversion photoluminescence properties, and the red emission is significantly improved. Meanwhile, with certain amount of LB content, the textured ceramics show nanoscale grains and approaching pseudo-cubic phase, resulting in high density and obvious relaxor-like behavior. This result indicates high local symmetry and less light scattering centers within the textured ceramics, finally bringing about enhanced optical transparency, with the highest transmittance of ∼ 39% in the visible region at y = 0.025. Additionally, the observable piezoelectric and ferroelectric performances were obtained. These multifunctional properties endow KNN-based textured ceramics with promising application prospects in optoelectronic devices.