Crystal structure and photoluminescence of Tb3+ doped Y3GaO6

A solid solution with formula (Y1-xTbx)(3)GaO6 (x = 0-0.5) was prepared by solid-state reaction method. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that Y3GaO6 is isostructural to Gd3GaO6 (Cmc2(1)), and the lattice parameters are a = 8.8364(1) angstrom, b = 11.0899(1) angstrom and c = 5.3937(1) angstrom. Atomic parameters were derived by Rietveld refinement of the XRD pattern. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra show a strong green emission of 543 nm from the D-5(4) -> F-7(5) transition of Th3+ at room and liquid nitrogen temperature. There is a wide saturation range of the PL intensity for the Th3+ content from x = 0.04-0.20, and a long life time about 1200 mu s for the green 543 nm emission at room temperature. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.