Synthesis and luminescence properties of Ce3+ doped nanoporous 12CaO·7Al2O3 powders and ceramics

Ce3+ doped nanoporous 12CaO·7Al2O3 (C12A7) was synthesized using the self-propagating combustion method and solid state reaction. Ceramics of high density were produced using the melt-solidification process in a carbon crucible. The obtained samples were characterized using XRD and SEM methods and studied by means of low temperature time resolved luminescence under laser and synchrotron radiation excitation. It was shown that the Ce3+ ion in C12A7 emits broad-band 5d–4f luminescence peaked at ∼3.0 eV. The decay curves of Ce3+ emission in the studied samples have complicated nature depending on the excitation energy with the main decay component of 20–30 ns life time, typical for parity and spin allowed transitions of Ce3+. The emission of Ce3+ ions is efficiently excited through the intra-centre as well as in the intrinsic absorption region of C12A7.