Structural and photoluminescence study of CeO2:Eu3+ phosphors

Europium doped ceria (CeO2:Eu3+) with different concentration of dopant were synthesized by solid state reaction technique. The structural properties and particle size of CeO2:Eu3+ phosphors were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern which revealed the cubic fluorite crystal structure of CeO2:Eu3+ and its average particle size was found to be 46.5 nm. Luminescence properties of CeO2:Eu3+ phosphors were studied by observing photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra. Under the excitation of 295 nm, a strong emission peak at 592 nm and two shoulder peaks at 612 nm and 633 nm were found and assigned to different transitions (5) D (0) -> (7) F (j) (where j = 0, 1, 2) of Eu3+. The effect of different doping concentration on photoluminescence properties of samples were also discussed in the present paper.