Structure, Phase Composition, and SpectralLuminescent
Properties of ZrO₂Y₂O₃Er₂O₃ Crystals

P. A. Ryabochkina^a, *, M. A. Borik^b, E. E. Lomonova^b, A. V. Kulebyakin^b, F. O. Milovich^c,
V. A. Myzina^b, N. Yu. Tabachkova^c, N. V. Sidorova^a, and A. N. Chabushkin^a

^a Ogarev Mordovia State University, ul. Bolshevistskaya 68, Saransk, 430005 Mordovia, Russia

e-mail: ryabochkina@freemail.mrsu.ru

^b Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Vavilova 38, Moscow, 119991 Russia

^c National University of Science and Technology “MISiS,” Leninskii pr. 4, Moscow, 119049 Russia

Received January 13, 2015; in final form, February 5, 2015

Abstract—This paper presents the results of investigations of the structure, phase composition, and spectral–
luminescent properties of Er₂O₃-doped zirconia crystals with different Y₂O₃ concentrations: 99.7 mol % ZrO₂–
0.3 mol % Er₂O₃, 97.2 mol % ZrO₂–1.0 mol % Y₂O₃–1.8 mol % Er₂O₃, 97.2 mol % ZrO₂–2.0 mol % Y₂O₃–0.8
mol % Er₂O₃, 97.2 mol % ZrO₂–2.5 mol % Y₂O₃–0.3 mol % Er₂O₃, 96.3 mol % ZrO₂–3.4 mol % Y₂O₃–0.3 mol
% Er₂O₃, and 86 mol % ZrO₂–13.4 mol % Y₂O₃–0.6 mol % Er₂O₃. The transmission electron microscopy inves-
tigation has revealed the presence of twins in the 99.7 mol % ZrO₂–0.3 mol % Er₂O₃ crystals with a monoclinic
structure and in the 97.2 mol % ZrO₂–2.5 mol % Y₂O₃–0.3 mol % Er₂O₃ and 96.3 mol % ZrO₂–3.4 mol %
Y₂O₃–0.3 mol % Er₂O₃ crystals with a tetragonal structure. No twins have been found in the 86 mol % ZrO₂–
13.4 mol % Y₂O₃–0.6 mol % Er₂O₃ crystals with a cubic structure. The phase composition of these crystals has
been investigated using X-ray diffraction. It has been found that the 97.2 mol % ZrO₂–1.0 mol % Y₂O₃–1.8 mol
% Er₂O₃ crystals contain only the transformable tetragonal phase t, whereas the 97.2 mol % ZrO₂–2.0 mol %
Y₂O₃–0.8 mol % Er₂O₃, 97.2 mol % ZrO₂–2.5 mol % Y₂O₃–0.3 mol % Er₂O₃, and 96.3 mol % ZrO₂–3.4 mol
% Y₂O₃–0.3 mol % Er₂O₃ crystals include two tetragonal phases with different degrees of tetragonality c/a: the
transformable phase t and nontransformable phase t '. Specific features of the formation of Er³⁺ optical centers
in zirconia crystals with different concentrations of stabilizing oxides have been revealed using the results of
experiments on optical spectroscopy.

DOI: 10.1134/S1063783415080260

Pleiades Publishing home page | journal home page | top

If you have any problems with this server, contact webmaster.