Sol-gel thin film deposition and characterization of a new optically active compound: Er2Ti2O7

This paper reports on the first sol-gel thin film preparation of a new opti cally active compound: Er2Ti2O7 (ETO). Optical, microstructural and spectro scopic properties of ETO films annealed in a temperature range 300-1000 deg reesC are studied. This work shows that the porosity and microstructure of ETO films depend closely on the heat-treatment temperature. Photoluminescen ce (PL) has been observed for films heat-treated at 600 degreesC or more. T he PL decay appears strongly influenced by quenching effects. For thin film s treated at 600 degreesC, quenching is essentially due to the presence of hydroxyl groups. After heat-treatment at 800 degreesC or more, quenching ca n be explained by the high concentration of erbium atoms and by their distr ibution in the ETO lattice. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.