Nonradiative energy transfer process in the system Sm 3 +: ZrO 2 prepared by sol-gel technique

Photoluminescence (PL) of pure and 0.2 mol percent Sm3+ doped zirconium oxide prepared by the Sol-Gel process and annealed at 1000 degrees C to stabilize the monoclinic phase were performed. The experimental spectra suggest the presence of energy transfer pro9cesses between the host and the dopant when the host was excited with a signal centered at 320 nm. The Sm3+ doped monoclinic zirconium oxide shows strong emission at the green and red bands, corresponding to the 4G5/2 yields 6H5/2 and 4G5/2 yields 6H7/2 samarium transition, respectively; whereas the undoped sample only shows a broad band emission centered at 495 nm. The main mechanism that allows the samarium emission under UV-excitation appears to be non-radiative energy transfer from the ZoO2 host to the Sm3+ ions.