LUMINESCENCE PROPERTIES OF PR3-EARTH-OXIDES( IN CUBIC RARE)

Luminescence properties of Pr3+-doped C-type sesquioxides Ln2O3 (Ln = Sc, Y, Gd) have been investigated. In cubic Ln2O3, the rare earth ion Pr3+ occupies two different cation sites with site symmetry C2 and S6. For all three sesquioxides, pairs of two distinct emission and excita tion spectra were recorded. Time-resolved spectroscopy was used to ass ign the spectra to the two cation sites. In both emission spectra of s ite C2 and site S6, only the electric dipole transition 1D2 --> H-3(4) of Pr3+ was observed. The spectroscopic results were correlated with structural data to clarify the luminescence mechanism in cubic rare ea rth oxides.