Investigation of the Effect of Sb Ion on the Spectroscopic Properties of Eu-Doped YVO Nanosized Materials.

This paper discusses the origin of emission quenching in yttrium orthovanadate codoped with Eu and Sb ions. Highly crystalline yttrium orthovanadate nanoparticles with chemical composition YEuSbVO ( = 0-5.4 mol %, = 0-2.1 mol %) were prepared using the modified Pechini's method. The particles' structural and morphological properties were studied using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the oxidation state and surface bonding of individual ions in the obtained materials. The photoluminescence spectral and dynamical properties were investigated in detail. The observed Eu luminescence depreciation is ascribed to reabsorption mediated by a low-lying Sb-to-V metal-to-metal charge transfer state in conjunction with lattice defects absorbing in the visible spectral region.