Photoluminescence Response of HfO2:Eu3+ Obtained by Hydrothermal Route

In this work, the synthesis and photoluminescence response of HfO2 doped with Eu3+ (HfO2:Eu3+) are reported. The synthesis was carried out by the hydrothermal route of HfCl4 and EuCl3 .6H2O with NH4OH dissolved in deionized water. To perform the hydrolysis, the precursors were subjected to hydrothermal treatment at 120°C, under autogenously pressure at reaction times of 24, 40, 52 and 72 hours. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by mean of X- ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Samples excited with 395 nm radiation show photoluminescence emission lines corresponding to the electronic transitions 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 0 → 4), characteristics of the Eu3+ ion. The photoluminescence emission intensity increases with the increasing of the reaction time, reaching a maximum at 72 hours. The excitation band peaked at 395 nm, makes this material an excellent candidate for applications in solid state white lamps.