Luminescence properties of EU3+ and Dy3+ doped β-BaB2O4 nanocrystals

beta-BaB2O4 nanocrystals co-doped with Eu3+ and Dy3+ were synthesized and their luminescence properties have been studied. The emission of beta-BaB2O4:Eu3+ sample is composed of three main peaks at 595, 615 and 675 nm, which are assigned to D-5(0)-->F-7(j(j = 1,2,3)) of Eu3+. The D-5(0) --> F-7(1) electronic transition is the most prominent one in the spectrum. However, in the Eu3+ and Dy3+ co-activated sample, the characteristic emission peaks of Dy3+ ions are not observed and the luminescence intensity of D-5(0) --> F-7(2) transition is stronger than that of the D-5(0) -->F-7(1) transition because of the deform of the host lattice of beta-BaB2O4 when Dy3+ ions are incorporated. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.