Comparative study on the photoluminescence properties of monoclinic and cubic erbium oxide

As a heavy rare earth oxide, erbium oxide (Er₂O₃) has many attractive properties. Monoclinic Er₂O₃ has useful properties not found in stable cubic Er₂O₃, such as unique optical properties and high radiation damage tolerance. In this study, pure cubic and mixed phase of cubic and monoclinic Er₂O₃ coatings were prepared. Photoluminescence properties of these coatings were characterized by a confocal micro-Raman spectrometer equipped with 325, 473, 514, 532, 633 nm lasers, and the influence of microstructure on the fluorescence properties was analyzed in detail. The room temperature fluorescence peaks of cubic Er₂O₃ were assigned. Furthermore, a novel method for rapid phase identification of Er³⁺ doped cubic and monoclinic rare earth sesquioxides at room temperature was proposed.