Synthesis, structural characterization and thermoluminescence glow curve study of gadolinium-doped Y2O3 nanophosphor

Gadolinium-doped Y2O3 nanophosphor was synthesized by a solid-state reaction method, which could be used for large-scale production of phosphors. The structure of the phosphor sample was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, field emission gun scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The particle size was calculated from Scherer's formula. X-ray diffraction showed a grain size of 35–55 nm, in good agreement with the scanning electron microscopy image. The synthesized sample showed good morphology and connectivity, with grains and formation of a nano-sized prepared sample. The diffraction pattern was measured by transmission electron microscopy with a selected area diffraction pattern. The prepared phosphor was also examined by thermoluminescence; to record the glow curve, 1 mg phosphor was irradiated with ultraviolet at 254 nm at a fixed heating rate of 7 °C s−1. The sample showed a well-resolved peak at 99 °C for 1 mol% of Gd3+. A lower temperature peak showed less stability and more fading of the prepared sample. A thermoluminescence glow curve gives information about trapping parameters such as activation energy and trap depth, order of kinetics and frequency. All the kinetics were calculated by the peak shape method.