Influence of annealing temperature on the electron–lattice coupling strength in terbium doped yttrium alumina perovskite xerogels embedded in nano-porous anodic alumina

Terbium doped YAlO3 xerogels were synthesized and spin-coated onto porous anodic alumina substrates. After deposition the films were annealed at temperatures between 400 and 1000 °C. The influence of the annealing temperature on terbium emission and the terbium excitation mechanism were investigated by means of photoluminescence, photoluminescence decay and photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy. It was found that both photoluminescence lifetime and the energy difference between spin-forbidden and spin-allowed 4f–5d transitions decreases with the annealing temperature drop. This dependence was correlated to the electron–lattice coupling strength calculated as a function of annealing temperature.

► Tb doped YAlO3 xerogels were deposited onto porous anodic alumina templates.
► The influence of annealing on the optical properties was investigated.
► The dominant excitation band is strongly coupled to a lattice vibrational modes.
► The coupling strength increases with decreasing the annealing temperature.