Lattice defect quenching effects on luminescence properties of Eu3+-doped YVO4 nanoparticles

A room-temperature co-precipitation method was explored to synthesize Eu3+-doped YVO4 precursors as constructed by an aggregation of several primary particles. After calcination treatment, the primary particles underwent an oriented attachment process and grew into the regular square-like nanoparticles (NPs). These square-like NPs exhibited an improvement in quantum yield of luminescence emission, as indicated by greatly enhanced excitation intensity and lifetime. Further studies on these square-like NPs by electron paramagnetic resonance demonstrated a defect structure as characterized by lower valence state vanadium ions and oxygen vacancies that were produced during the growth process in nitrogen atmosphere. The formation of these defect structures was significantly influenced by the calcination atmospheres, which enables us to uncover the relationships between defect structures and luminescence properties of YVO4:Eu3+ nanocrystals