Structural and photoluminescence study of Er–Yb codoped nanocrystalline ZrO2–B2O3 solid solution

Abstract

Abstract Codoped Er 3+ and Yb 3+ nanocrystalline ZrO 2 –B 2 O 3 phosphor obtained by a modified sol–gel method is demonstrated. The addition of up to 2.5 mol% B 2 O 3 to nanocrystalline ZrO 2 :Yb(2%), Er(1%) keep the tetragonal rare-earth stabilized ZrO 2 phase; whereas higher B 2 O 3 content destabilize the tetragonal phase, leading to the tetragonal to monoclinic transition with no tetragonal ZrO 2 phase segregation. Visible upconversion of the luminescent active ions, Er 3+ and Yb 3+ , depend strongly on B 2 O 3 content. The PL intensity is strongly quenched for high B 2 O 3 content due to increasing multiphonon relaxation processes related to B O and B O B vibronic modes.