Influence of the Host Phase on the Vibrational Spectra of Europium-Doped Zirconia Prepared by Hydrothermal Processing

Nanocrystalline zirconia (ZrO2) powders doped with 0.5 up to 5 mol% europium (Eu3+) were prepared by hydrothermal process using ZrCl4 and EuCl3·6H2O as starting materials. Optical emission and vibrational properties of as‐prepared and calcined samples were investigated by phonon sideband (PSB), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) and photoluminescence spectroscopy as well as lifetime measurements. We found that the doping degree had a strong effect on the crystalline phase, m‐ and t‐ZrO2, of the host material, which also influenced on its shape and intensity of the PSB spectra. Residual water in the as‐prepared samples indicated by FT‐IR spectra induced water relating vibrations in the PSB spectra. The obtained PSB were compared with the peaks in the recorded FT‐IR spectra and related to the vibrational modes of m‐ and t‐ZrO2.