Nanostructure and photoluminescence dynamics of praseodymium doped hexagonal LaF3 nanocrystals

Highlights: • Praseodymium doped hexagonal LaF₃ nanocrystals were synthesized. • The effect of Pr³⁺ concentration on absorption spectra and PL intensity is explained. • Judd–Ofelt parameters follow the trend Ω₆ > Ω₂ > Ω₄. • Pr³⁺ doped LaF₃ nanocrystals shows orange-yellow emission efficiency. Praseodymium (Pr) doped hexagonal LaF₃ nanocrystals have been synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. The influence of the Pr concentration on the morphology, microstructure and photoluminescence dynamics of the nanocrystals have been explored. The Judd–Ofelt parameters Ω_λ have been calculated from the absorption spectra, indicating that the Ω₆ > Ω₂ > Ω₄ trend is evidence for good quality hexagonal LaF₃ nanocrystals. The branching ratios for both ¹D₂→ ³H₄ and ³P₀ → ³H₆ transitions are about 50%, indicating that the orange-yellow emission efficiency with color purity. The CIE color coordinates show that the Pr doped hexagonal LaF₃ nanocrystals may be a potential candidate for future optoelectronic.