CaTiO3:Eu3+ obtained by microwave assisted hydrothermal method: A photoluminescent approach

Europium doped calcium titanate (CT:Eu3+) powders containing 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% mol of Eu3+ were synthesized by hydrothermal microwave method (HTMW) at 140 °C for 10 min resulting in the samples CT:Eu3+ (0.5%) CT:Eu3+ (1.0%) and CT:Eu3+ (2.0%). Eu3+ ion was introduced into the perovskite lattice aiming to study the synthesis, photoluminescence emissions and morphological properties of these powders. X-ray diffraction patterns present a single phase indexed as Pbnm space group in a typical orthorhombic CaTiO3 (CT) structure. FT-Raman spectra of CT indicated a great arrangement in a short range, while UV–vis measurements did not show any substantial changes in the optical absorbance behavior of CT:Eu3+ samples. The existence of two small absorbance bands at 394 and 466 nm suggests the presence of Eu3+ in the CT lattice, confirmed by excitation and photoluminescence emission spectra. The emission line shape transitions from 5D0 to 7FJ (J = 0, 1–4) levels of the Eu3+ was noticed at, respectively 579, 589, 613, 654 and 695 nm, and the most intense one at 613 nm is ascribed to the hypersensitive 5D0 → 7F2 transition. Among the samples, the most intense photoluminescence results were observed for the CT:Eu3+ (1.0%).