Selective synthesis, characterization, and photoluminescence study of YPO4:Eu3+ nanorods and nanoparticles

Two different morphological varieties of YPO4:Eu3+ (nanorods and nanoparticles) have been synthesized by convenient template-assisted routes. A surfactant-mediated synthesis route generated the nanorods, while a complex based precursor solution method led to the formation of the nanoparticles. The nanorods have an average diameter of ∼33 nm and an average length of ∼290 nm, whereas the spherical nanoparticles show an average diameter of ∼34 nm. Upon photoluminescence study of the as-prepared samples, the chromaticity of the dopant ion was found to be sensitive to the host morphology as well as the preparative strategy adopted for sample fabrication.