Luminescence properties of Nd3+-doped LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 sol-gel powders

This paper reports the synthesis and a detailed analysis of the luminescence properties of Nd3+ doped LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 powders prepared by sol-gel process. The two ferroelectric hosts are potential candidates for various electronic and photonics applications. Near IR emission transitions of Nd3+ at 890 nm, 1060 nm and 1340 nm have been measured under the excitation of an Ar+ laser and it has been found that the 2mol percent Nd3+ has an intense emission compared with the other contents. An up-conversion violet color emission has also been observed with a 583 nm excitation, which is a hypersensitive transition of Nd3+ having a strong absorption at the yellow wavelength. Apart form a bright violet up-conversion emission, three other emissions at 342 nm and 464 nm have also been measured. The violet up- conversion emissions have been explained using an energy level diagram. The structural details and particle sizes of Nd3+ doped LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 powders have been studied form the patterns of XRD and SEM images.