Pressure-induced amorphization of YVO4:Eu3+ nanoboxes. (30th November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ruiz-Fuertes, J; Gomis, O; León-Luis, S F; Schrodt, N; Manjón, F J; Ray, S; Santamaría-Pérez, D; Sans, J A; Ortiz, H M; Errandonea, D; Ferrer-Roca, C; Segura, A; Martínez-García, D; Lavín, V; Rodríguez-Mendoza, U R; Muñoz, A
• Is Part Of: Nanotechnology. Volume 27:Number 2(2016)
• Publication Date: 2015-11-30
• Subjects: high pressure -- amorphization -- nanocrystal; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology; Publications périodiques; Nanotechnologies; Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/27/2/025701
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-4484

Abstract

Abstract: A structural transformation from the zircon-type structure to an amorphous phase has been found in YVO4 :Eu 3+ nanoboxes at high pressures above 12.7 GPa by means of x-ray diffraction measurements. However, the pair distribution function of the high-pressure phase shows that the local structure of the amorphous phase is similar to the scheelite-type YVO4 . These results are confirmed both by Raman spectroscopy and Eu 3+ photoluminescence which detect the phase transition to a scheelite-type structure at 10.1 and 9.1 GPa, respectively. The irreversibility of the phase transition is observed with the three techniques after a maximum pressure in the upstroke of around 20 GPa. The existence of two 5 D0 7 F0 photoluminescence peaks confirms the existence of two local environments for Eu 3+, at least for the low-pressure phase. One environment is the expected for substituting Y 3+ and the other is likely a disordered environment possibly found at the surface of the nanoboxes.