Phase and optical properties of solvothermal prepared Sm2O3 doped ZrO2 nanoparticles: The effect of oxygen vacancy

This work reports the synthesis and characterization of samaria doped zirconia (SDZ) nanoparticles by solvothermal method. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, UV-vis and PL spectra. Effect of oxygen vacancies on the phase and optical properties were carefully discussed. The as-prepared products showed cubic structured nanoparticles with average size of 1.1 nm. Fully stabilized cubic ZrO2 could be obtained via doping 8mol % of Sm2O3 into its lattice. UV-blue absorption spectra of ZrO2 host showed obscure absorption edge, while those doped by Sm3+ showed distinguished spectra. No luminescence from Sm3+ center could be observed on PL spectra of all of the samples. Nine different Gaussian-Lorentz amplitude bands should be used to fully deconvolve the acquired PL spectra, and all of them were proven to be originated from oxygen vacancies. The oxygen vacancies in SDZ played as the roles of phase stabilizer, quencher of Sm3+ fluorescence, and PL center of UV-blue emission.