A convenient preparation of nano-powders of Y 2 O 3 , Y 3 Al 5 O 12 and Nd:Y 3 Al 5 O 12 and study of the photoluminescent emission properties of the neodymium doped oxide

Abstract [Y(O 2 CNBu 2 ) 3 ], has been prepared by extraction of the Y 3+ ions from aqueous solution into heptane by the NHBu 2 /CO 2 system. Exhaustive hydrolysis of [Y(O 2 CNBu 2 ) 3 ] produced the yttrium carbonate [Y 2 (CO 3 ) 3 ⋅n H 2 O] (n = 2–3), that was converted to Y 2 O 3 by thermal treatment at 550 °C for 12 h. The exhaustive hydrolysis of [Y(O 2 CNBu 2 ) 3 ] and [Al(OBu) 3 ] (Y/Al molar ratio = 3/5) carried out at room temperature yielded an intermediate mixed carbonate, that, upon heating at 950 °C for 12 h, was converted to Y 3 Al 5 O 12 . The exhaustive hydrolysis of [Y(O 2 CNBu 2 ) 3 ] and [Al(OBu) 3 ] was repeated in the presence of [Nd(O 2 CNBu 2 ) 3 ] (Nd/Y molar ratio = 0.07;(Nd + Y)/Al molar ratio = 3:5). The neodymium doped garnet Nd:Y 3 Al 5 O 12 was obtained, through the intermediate formation of a mixed hydroxo-carbonate. For comparison, the neodymium doped garnet was prepared also starting from N,N -dialkylcarbamato complexes of all three metals, [Y(O 2 CNBu 2 ) 3 ], [Nd(O 2 CNBu 2 ) 3 ] and [Al 2 (O 2 CN i Pr 2 ) 6 ] (Nd/Y molar ratio = 0.07;(Nd + Y)/Al molar ratio = 3:5). Also in this case the intermediate mixed hydroxo-carbonate, after heating at 950 °C for 12 h, evolved to Nd:Y 3 Al 5 O 12 . FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA measurements were used for the characterization of the obtained materials. Preliminary studies of the photoluminescent emission properties were carried out on Nd:Y 3 Al 5 O 12 . Photoluminescence dynamics have been investigated by means of femtosecond laser pulses and nanosecond temporal resolution up to the millisecond range after excitation. All the luminescence traces have shown a decay time of the order 200 microseconds indicating its potential as a laser medium for infrared emission at 1064 nm.