Photoluminescent properties of nanocrystalline Sm3+-doped CaO–CeO2 system synthesized by an auto-igniting combustion synthesis technique

Abstract

This study investigates the optical properties of samarium-doped microstructured and nanostructured CaO–CeO2 mixed solutions. Conventional solid state method and auto-igniting combustion synthesis were used for the preparation of the samples. The as-prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, UV-Visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. A mixed phase formation with phases of CaO, CeO2 and Ca(OH)2 was observed form X-ray diffraction studies. The transmission electron microscopic studies have shown that the average particle size of the as-prepared powder was in the range of 30–40 nm. A blueshift is observed in the bandgap of the nanocrystalline samples. Strong orange–red emission was observed for Sm[Formula: see text]-doped samples and the chromaticity values were calculated using CIE chromaticity diagram.