[Preparation and Photoluminescent Properties of Ce³⁺-Activated LaPO₄ Nanocrystals and Core/Shell Structure]

Hydrophobic, monodisperse LaPO₄: Ce³⁺ nanoparticles, LaPO₄:Ce³⁺/LaPO₄ and LaPO₄:Ce³⁺/LaPO₄: Ce³⁺/ LaPO₄ core/shell structure nanocrystals were synthesized via a high-temperature organic solution approach. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The results show that: all the samples are a monoclinic phase, Because of the size small nanoparticles, the diffraction peaks of the sample occurs width phenomenon. The LaPO₄:Ce³⁺ nano- crystals exhibits the characteristic emission of Ce³⁺ ions, the photoluminescence intensity increases first and then decreases with the increasing doping concentration of Ce³⁺ ions, and the best doping amount is 6 at %, with the increasing doping amount, the photoluminescence intensity decreases which may caused by the concentration quenching. Compared to LaPO₄:Ce³⁺ nanoparti- cles, the photoluminescence intensity of LaPO₄:Ce³⁺/LaPO₄ and LaPO₄: Ce³⁺/LaPO₄: Ce³⁺/LaPO₄ core/shell structure nanocrystals improves about 41% and 95% respectively, this may be a synergy of larger particle size of nanocrystals and surface passivation effect. FTIR spectra data shows that the absorption peak at 1545 and 1461 cm⁻¹ corresponded to the asymmetric and symmetric stretching vibration of --COO⁻, the separation, Δ, between the two peaks is 84 cm⁻¹, The mechanism of the sample surface modification by the organics might be that the oxygen atoms of the carboxyl are coordinated with the lanthunum ions by a bidentate mode.