Luminescence of oxygen molecular ion in neodymium-doped yttria

Pulsed cathodoluminescence spectra of Nd³⁺:Y₂O₃ compacts registered after their annealing in air at a temperature above 950°C exhibit a structured band in the range 610–660 nm with four well-resolved components located at wavelengths of 620.6, 630.6, 645.3, and 655.6 nm. At the same time, the lattice parameter of the cubic yttria increases, and the color of samples changes from light blue to yellowish. In addition, the nearly complete absorption of the intrinsic luminescence band of yttria is observed in the range of 380–600 nm with a center at λ = 485 nm. We assume that these effects are caused by oxygen molecular ions O₂⁻, which are formed in cubic yttria due to the penetration of oxygen into natural anion vacancies. The frequencies of vibrations of the ground and excited states of the oxygen molecular ion has been determined.