Yb3+ as an origin of the strong anti-Stokes luminescence in NIR FT-Raman spectra of some lanthanide sesquioxides

Strong anti-Stokes bands observed in FT-Raman spectra of Y2O3, Gd2O3 and Lu2O3 are explained by NIR luminescence of Yb3+ impurities present in sesquioxides after the excitation with the 1064 nm line of an Nd:YAG laser. Samples of Y2O3:Yb, Ga2O3:Yb, CeO2:Yb, Gd2O3:Yb and Lu2O3:Yb were prepared by solution combustion synthesis procedure using urea. All materials were investigated by FT-Raman and FT-NIR spectroscopy and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction.