Web Release Date: January 29,
Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of Erbium-Doped Y2O3 Nanotubes
and
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, and Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
Received: September 13, 2007
In Final Form: November 11, 2007
Abstract:
Erbium-doped yttrium oxide nanotubes (Er3+:Y2O3 NTs) with 0-100% doping levels were synthesized by a
hydrothermal procedure followed by a dehydration process from Er3+:Y(OH)3 NTs. The as-synthesized Er3+:Y2O3 nanotubes ranged from 100 to 400 nm in outer diameter and 2 to 5 
m in length with a hexagonal cross
section. A time-dependent nanostructure evolution study was performed under hydrothermal conditions, and
the effects of other processing parameters, including pH, concentration, and ionic strength of the precursor
solution as well as the time span for adding the alkaline solution, were found to dictate the purity and
morphology of the as-synthesized Er3+:Y(OH)3 nanostructures. A kinetics-controlled dissolution-recrystallization mechanism is proposed to explain the anisotropic growth of these hollow nanotubes from the hexagonal
crystal structure of yttrium and erbium hydroxides. Outstanding room-temperature photoluminescence around
1535 nm was demonstrated for these Er3+:Y2O3 NTs, making them promising for optical amplifier, laser, and
active waveguide applications in telecommunications.
Download the full text: PDF | HTML
