Nanostructured crystals of partially yttria-stabilized and Nd3+ doped zirconia: Structure and luminescent properties

A comparison of the luminescence spectra and X-ray phase analysis results for the PSZ crystals containing 2.8 and 3.7 mol.% Y2O3 with different Nd2O3 concentrations (0.04, 0.22 and 0.34 mol.%) indicated that the Nd3+ ions were predominantly concentrated in the non-transformable t′ phase. The luminescence spectra of Nd3+ centres in these crystals were similar to those of yttrium-stabilized cubic zirconia. In the 0.8Nd2O3-2.0YSZ crystal the quantity of the non-transformable t′ phase is low, therefore the Nd3+ ions are contained in the transformable t phase. The luminescence spectra of Nd3+ ions occupying transformable t phase in 0.8Nd2O3-2.0YSZ crystal differs from the luminescence spectra of Nd3+ ions in stabilized cubic zirconia.