Using Eu3+ as an atomic probe to investigate the local environment in LaPO4–GdPO4 monazite end-members

In the present study, we have investigated the luminescent properties of Eu3+ as a dopant in a series of synthetic lanthanide phosphates from the monazite group. Systematic trends in the spectroscopic properties of Eu3+ depending on the size of the host cation and the dopant to ligand distance have been observed. Our results show that the increasing match between host and dopant radii when going from Eu3+-doped LaPO4 toward the smaller GdPO4 monazite decreases both the full width at half maximum of the Eu3+ excitation peak, as well as the 7F2/7F1 emission band intensity ratio. The decreasing Ln⋯O bond distance within the LnPO4 series causes a systematic bathochromic shift of the Eu3+ excitation peak, showing a linear dependence of both the host cation size and the Ln⋯O distance. The linear relationship can be used to predict the energy band gap for Eu3+-doped monazites for which no Eu3+ luminescent data is available. Finally, mechanisms for metal-metal energy transfer between host and dopant lanthanides have been explored based on recorded luminescence lifetime data. Luminescence lifetime data for Eu3+ incorporated in the various monazite hosts clearly indicated that the energy band gap between the guest ion emission transition and the host ion absorption transition can be correlated to the degree of quenching observed in these materials with otherwise identical geometries and chemistries.

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