Sc2O3:Ce nanocrystals: Fluorescence and its dependence on the surrounding gas pressure

The fluorescence spectra of nanocrystalline powder samples of Sc₂O₃:Ce³⁺ prepared by the sol-gel process were studied. The strong shift of the fluorescence spectra with the excitation wavelength was observed. The effect of the surrounding gaseous medium on 4f⁰5d¹→4f¹ fluorescence of Ce³⁺ ions in nanoparticles, discovered earlier in YAG:Ce³⁺, was also observed and studied in Sc₂O₃:Ce³⁺. The fluorescence intensity and the excitation power dependence of fluorescence dramatically depend on the pressure of the gaseous media.