Optical study of rare Earth-doped Gd3Ga5O12 nanocrystals obtained by a modified sol-gel method

Spectroscopic features of Eu3+, Nd3+ and Er3+ in nanocrystalline samples of gallium gadolinium garnet prepared by a modified sol-gel method were investigated in order to assess the structural compatibility of the material with a single crystal counterpart. Emission spectra and decay curves of luminescent admixtures were recorded and analysed. Observed distribution of spectral line intensities and single exponential time dependence of luminescence decay curves indicate strongly that the static disorder in the neighbourhood of luminescent ions is not significant, hence structural peculiarities of the garnet lattice encountered in bulk crystals are maintained. It has been concluded that the method of preparation applied is able to furnish good structural quality GGG nanocrystals.