Fluorescence of Eu3+ as a probe of phase transformation of zirconia

•m-, t- and c- zirconia samples were prepared by controlling Y3+ doping concentration.•The fluorescence properties of m-, t- and c- zirconia samples were investigated.•The relationship between crystal structure and PL properties were further examined.•The PL properties of Eu3+ can be used to infer crystal structure of Eu3+-doped ZrO2. In this work, the effects of phase transformation of zirconia on the fluorescence properties of Eu3+ were investigated. Monoclinic, tetragonal and cubic zirconia samples were prepared using a solid state reaction method at high temperature by controlling Y3+ doping concentration. The crystal structure of the as-prepared samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra. The fluorescence properties of the samples were characterized by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and fluorescence lifetime. The relationship between the crystal structure and fluorescence properties were further examined. The results showed that the crystal structure of zirconia has a very important relationship with the fluorescence properties of Eu3+.