Photoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance properties of UV-B light emitting Gd3+ activated Y2O3 phosphor prepared by sol-gel method

Undoped Y2O3 and Gd3+-doped Y2O3 samples were synthesized using a sol-gel method. The samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), photoluminescence (PL), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The room-temperature PL spectrum was recorded to study the bands that are due to the Gd3+. The photoluminescence analyses of the sample confirm the presence of the Gd3+ ions in the Y2O3 matrix. EPR spectra of the samples confirmed the presence of Gd3+ ions in Y3+ sites with cubic symmetry.