Interconfigurational and intraconfigurational transitions of Yb2+ and Yb3+ ions in hydroxyapatite: A cathodoluminescence study

We present a cathodoluminescence (CL) study of the interconfigurational transitions of Yb2+ and intraconfigurational transitions of Yb3+ dopant ions in hydroxyapatite (HAp) powders. Our results demonstrate that strong electric fields present in the HAp lattice induce manifold levels in the electronic configuration of the ytterbium ions, due to splitting of the 4f135d1 orbitals. CL spectra of Yb2+ display a series of sharp peaks centered at 3.27, 2.98, 2.85, 2.53, 2.27, 2.09 and 1.63 eV, corresponding to transitions between multiple levels produced by a trigonal distortion of the regular octahedral crystal field of the Yb2+ 4f135d1 configuration. CL spectra of Yb3+ display four emissions centered at 1.17, 1.21, 1.24 and 1.27 eV, generated by intraconfigurational transitions between the 2F5/2 and 2F7/2 states of Yb3+ ions. Two types of samples were synthesized at different pH values, resulting in variations of the valence of the ytterbium ions, such that the ratios of Yb2+/Yb3+ were 0.31 and 0.55 in calcined powders synthesized at pH values of 6 and 4, respectively, as determined from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Infrared CL images of the two samples show an inhomogeneous spatial distribution of the Yb3+ dopant in the powders. Thermal treatment of the samples, at 873 K in an oxygen atmosphere, result in quenching of the Yb2+ luminescence due to oxidation of the Yb2+ into Yb3+.

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