Pressure- and temperature-induced structural phase transitions in fluoride matrices monitoring by Eu³⁺ luminescence

Abstract

The precipitation of micro-crystals identified as EuZrF₇ has been induced by thermal treatment in the Eu³⁺-doped fluorozirconate glass. Moreover, using luminiscence of the Eu³⁺ ion, the experimental evidence of a reverse change has been obtained by a pressure-induced amorphization of the EuZrF₇ polycrystal. There is a unique kind of site in the fluorozirconate glass, in which the different environments for the Eu³⁺ ions are generated by distortions of the EuZrF₇ crystalline structure.

Keywords:

• Eu³⁺
• Luminescence
• Fluoride
• Phase transition
• Pressure
• Crystallization

Acknowledgements

This work has been partially supported by ‘Ministerio de Educacíon y Ciencia’ (MAT 2004-6868). F. Rivera-López and S. González-Pérez wish to thank Cajacanarias and ULL for Ph.D. grants.