Ion beam induced amorphization and bond breaking in Zn2SiO4:Eu3+ nanocrystalline phosphor

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2012 May:90:18-21. doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2011.12.066. Epub 2011 Dec 30.

Abstract

This paper reports on the ionoluminescence (IL) of Zn(2)SiO(4):Eu(3+) nanophosphors bombarded with 100 MeV Si(7+) ions with fluences in the range (3.91-21.48)×10(12) ions cm(-2). The prominent IL emission peaks recorded at 580, 590, 612, 650 and 705 nm are attributed to the luminescence centers activated by Eu(3+) ions. It is observed that IL intensity decreases and saturates with increase of Si(7+) ion fluence. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) studies confirm surface/bulk amorphization for a fluence of (3.91-21.48)×10(13) ions cm(-2). These results show degradation of SiO (2ν(3)) bonds present on the surface of the sample and/or due to lattice disorder produced by dense electronic excitation under heavy ion irradiation. These results are discussed in detail.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization
  • Europium / chemistry*
  • Luminescence
  • Luminescent Measurements
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Phosphorus / chemistry*
  • Photochemistry*
  • Powder Diffraction*
  • Silicates / chemistry*
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • X-Ray Diffraction
  • Zinc Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Silicates
  • Zinc Compounds
  • Phosphorus
  • Europium
  • zinc silicate