Luminescence properties of Eu3+- and Mg2+-doped LiTaO3 obtained via the polymeric precursor method

This work reports the pure lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), europium (III)-doped LiTaO3 and magnesium (II)-europium (III)-doped LiTaO3 preparation by the polymeric precursor method, using four different powered samples of Eu3+ ion concentrations 0.1 and 1 at%, observing their effect on the luminescent property of the material. Results indicated LiTaO3 phase free of secondary phases at 650 °C and the photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra showed the characteristic sharp emission bands given by Eu3+ ions when they are excited at a wavelength of 399 nm. An increase of dopants led us to a non-homogeneous broadening and showed a slightly larger one when Mg was added. A displacement of the transition 5D0→7F0 to shorter wavelengths as function of Eu3+concentration was also noticed.