Spectroscopic behavior of Nd3+ in a new microcrystalline ZnY4W3O16 tungstate

In the framework of systematic investigations of the optical properties of a new tungstate ZnY4W3O16 in which Y3+ cations allow for rare-earth ions doping, the compounds doped with neodymium Nd3+ ion were synthesized, analyzed and considered as a possible laser material. The crystalline stoichiometric sample of the chemical formula ZnNd4W3O16 and their yttrium diluted analogues 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 mol% Nd3+-doped ZnY4W3O16 were obtained by a solid-state reaction. X-ray powder diffraction analysis as well as the IR spectra were used to the structural characterization of the compounds. Electron microscopy has been used to analyze the grain size, the presence of aggregates, and the type of boundary between the microcrystals. In order to study spectroscopic properties, the high resolution absorption and emission spectra at room and low temperature were measured in visible and IR regions. The radiative transition probabilities in those tungstates were calculated and analyzed. Based on the 4 K absorption spectra in the range of 4I9/2 → 2P1/2 transition the number of metal sites occupied by the dopants was determined. The strong fluorescent emission involving the 4F3/2 → 4I9/2, 4I11/2, 4I13/2 transitions at 298 and 77 K were observed under pulsed laser and xenon lamp excitation. The dynamics of the Nd3+ excited states were characterized by decay times measurements and compared to earlier reported data for neodymium tungstates.

► The goal of the investigation was optical characterization of Nd3+ ion in the new microcrystalline ZnY4W3O16 tungstate matrix.
► Those compounds show the strong fluorescent Nd3+ ion emission observed under pulsed laser and xenon lamp excitation.
► The luminescence lifetimes and absorption cross section suggest that ZnY4W3O16:Nd3+ can be promising as a new laser material.
► The temperature dependence of luminescence intensities shows that studied systems may be applied as a temperature sensors.