Optical Properties of BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Due to Cerium Doping and Heat Treatment in Different Atmospheres
The luminescent properties of cerium-doped barium aluminate (BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>) samples with varying Ce concentrations (0–1.1 mol%) prepared either in an air or nitrogen-reduced atmosphere are presented. This work provides the first detailed comparison of the mate...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Montserrat Nevai Coyotl Ojeda Benito de Celis Alonso José Eduardo Espinosa Rosales Epifanio Cruz-Zaragoza Martín Rodolfo Palomino Merino |
| author_facet | Montserrat Nevai Coyotl Ojeda Benito de Celis Alonso José Eduardo Espinosa Rosales Epifanio Cruz-Zaragoza Martín Rodolfo Palomino Merino |
| author_sort | Montserrat Nevai Coyotl Ojeda |
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| description | The luminescent properties of cerium-doped barium aluminate (BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>) samples with varying Ce concentrations (0–1.1 mol%) prepared either in an air or nitrogen-reduced atmosphere are presented. This work provides the first detailed comparison of the material’s structural, luminescent, and chromatic properties at different doping levels and thermal treatments. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the hexagonal crystal structure of barium aluminate. Samples treated in an air atmosphere exhibited crystallite sizes of 58.5 nm for undoped samples and 45.7 nm for doped samples. In contrast, those treated under nitrogen showed smaller crystallite sizes, i.e., 39.8 nm for undoped and 42.3 nm for doped samples, respectively. XPS analysis indicated that the nitrogen-reduced atmosphere minimized Ce oxidation, favoring the presence of Ce<sup>3+</sup>. The bandgap values of the material were 4.0 eV and 5.6 eV for the air and for the nitrogen atmosphere, respectively. Photoluminescence spectra showed maxima at 357 nm (air) and 386 nm (nitrogen), attributed to <i>4f-5d</i> transitions of Ce. The samples under air atmosphere showed longer lifetimes values (0.94 ns) compared to those in a nitrogen atmosphere (0.40 ns). These results suggest that thermal treatment in an air atmosphere promoted better structural order and higher photoluminescence efficiency, while treatment in a nitrogen-reduced atmosphere increased defect formation, shortening the lifetime. Chromaticity coordinate analysis showed that the cerium ion dopant influenced the blueish emission color in both samples. |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj-art-42a6bc85210e4efbb6510f0abc02b67d2025-06-25T14:11:39ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2025-06-0116668810.3390/mi16060688Optical Properties of BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Due to Cerium Doping and Heat Treatment in Different AtmospheresMontserrat Nevai Coyotl Ojeda0Benito de Celis Alonso1José Eduardo Espinosa Rosales2Epifanio Cruz-Zaragoza3Martín Rodolfo Palomino Merino4Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, (BUAP), Avenida San Claudio y 18 Sur, Colonia San Manuel, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla P.C. 72570, MexicoFacultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, (BUAP), Avenida San Claudio y 18 Sur, Colonia San Manuel, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla P.C. 72570, MexicoFacultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, (BUAP), Avenida San Claudio y 18 Sur, Colonia San Manuel, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla P.C. 72570, MexicoInstituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 70-543, Ciudad de México P.C. 04510, MexicoFacultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, (BUAP), Avenida San Claudio y 18 Sur, Colonia San Manuel, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla P.C. 72570, MexicoThe luminescent properties of cerium-doped barium aluminate (BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>) samples with varying Ce concentrations (0–1.1 mol%) prepared either in an air or nitrogen-reduced atmosphere are presented. This work provides the first detailed comparison of the material’s structural, luminescent, and chromatic properties at different doping levels and thermal treatments. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the hexagonal crystal structure of barium aluminate. Samples treated in an air atmosphere exhibited crystallite sizes of 58.5 nm for undoped samples and 45.7 nm for doped samples. In contrast, those treated under nitrogen showed smaller crystallite sizes, i.e., 39.8 nm for undoped and 42.3 nm for doped samples, respectively. XPS analysis indicated that the nitrogen-reduced atmosphere minimized Ce oxidation, favoring the presence of Ce<sup>3+</sup>. The bandgap values of the material were 4.0 eV and 5.6 eV for the air and for the nitrogen atmosphere, respectively. Photoluminescence spectra showed maxima at 357 nm (air) and 386 nm (nitrogen), attributed to <i>4f-5d</i> transitions of Ce. The samples under air atmosphere showed longer lifetimes values (0.94 ns) compared to those in a nitrogen atmosphere (0.40 ns). These results suggest that thermal treatment in an air atmosphere promoted better structural order and higher photoluminescence efficiency, while treatment in a nitrogen-reduced atmosphere increased defect formation, shortening the lifetime. Chromaticity coordinate analysis showed that the cerium ion dopant influenced the blueish emission color in both samples.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/6/688barium aluminatecerium dopantphotoluminescenceair atmospherenitrogen-reduced atmosphereoptical properties |
| spellingShingle | Montserrat Nevai Coyotl Ojeda Benito de Celis Alonso José Eduardo Espinosa Rosales Epifanio Cruz-Zaragoza Martín Rodolfo Palomino Merino Optical Properties of BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Due to Cerium Doping and Heat Treatment in Different Atmospheres Micromachines barium aluminate cerium dopant photoluminescence air atmosphere nitrogen-reduced atmosphere optical properties |
| title | Optical Properties of BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Due to Cerium Doping and Heat Treatment in Different Atmospheres |
| title_full | Optical Properties of BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Due to Cerium Doping and Heat Treatment in Different Atmospheres |
| title_fullStr | Optical Properties of BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Due to Cerium Doping and Heat Treatment in Different Atmospheres |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optical Properties of BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Due to Cerium Doping and Heat Treatment in Different Atmospheres |
| title_short | Optical Properties of BaAl<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Due to Cerium Doping and Heat Treatment in Different Atmospheres |
| title_sort | optical properties of baal sub 2 sub o sub 4 sub due to cerium doping and heat treatment in different atmospheres |
| topic | barium aluminate cerium dopant photoluminescence air atmosphere nitrogen-reduced atmosphere optical properties |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/6/688 |
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