On tuning the spectroscopic properties of LaAlO3:Pr3+ nanocrystallites

►Nano crystallites LaAlO3:Pr3+ (1 mol%) were produced by the precipitation method. ►At 300 K the symmetry of the LaAlO3 crystallite structure depends on their size. ►It changes from cubic to rhombohedral with increase of the nano crystallite size. ►LaAlO3:Pr3+ at rhombohedral structure has 100 times stronger emission than cubic one. ►The Cr3+ ions (0.005 mol%) were used as a sensor of the rhombohedral distortion.