Neutron diffraction structure study of Er and Yb doped YAl3(BO3)4

Neutron diffraction structure study has been performed on YAl3(BO3)4 (YAB), on doped Y0.88Er0.12Al3(BO3)4, Y0.5Er0.5Al3(BO3)4, Y0.5Yb0.5Al3(BO3)4 and on co-doped Y0.84Er0.01Yb0.15Al3(BO3)4 compositions. It was established that the doped compounds are isostructural to YAB. The neutron diffraction pattern have been be fitted in space group R32 using the triple hexagonal Wyckoff notation. Both Er3+ and Yb3+ ions occupy the Y3+ (3a) sites and not the Al3+ (9d) sites, as it was suggested previously. The lattice parameters are decreasing with increasing amount of the dopant elements. Slight changes are revealed in the positional parameters and interatomic distances with increasing concentration of the dopant ions. For the co-doped Y0.84Er0.01Yb0.15Al3(BO3)4 the changes are more significant than for the doped YAB compounds with only one type of dopant element, Er or Yb.

► Er or Yb doped YAB compounds are isotructural to YAl3(BO3)4, space group R32.
► Both Er3+ and Yb3+ ions occupy the Y-sites.
► The lattice parameters slightly decrease with increase of Er3+ and/or Yb3+.
► The interatomic distances slightly change with increase of the dopant ions.
► The changes in the co-doped YAB are greater than in the single-doped compounds.