Synthesis, structure and luminescence properties of Ho3+-doped La2Zr2O7 nanoparticles

• The Ho3+-doped La2Zr2O7 nanoparticles exhibit a defect fluorite-type structure.
• The Ho3+-doped La2Zr2O7 nanoparticles show the uniform particle size of 50 nm.
• The emission intensity has a maximum for the (La0.95Ho0.05)2Zr2O7 nanoparticles.

(La1−xHox)2Zr2O7 (x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by a facile chemical co-precipitation and calcination method, and were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. (La1−xHox)2Zr2O7 nanoparticles calcined at 900 °C for 5 h in air exhibit a single phase of defect fluorite-type structure and have a particle size of about 50 nm. The emission bands centered at 542 nm and 553 nm are identified as the 5F4, 5S2 → 5I8 transitions. The emission intensity increases with the increase of the Ho3+ ion content, and reaches the maximum for the (La0.95Ho0.05)2Zr2O7 nanoparticles, and then decreases with further increasing Ho3+ ion content.