Structural, spectroscopic and optical properties of pure and gadolinium doped neodymium phosphate nanoparticles prepared using wet chemical route

ABSTRACT

Nanoparticles of neodymium phosphate and 5% gadolinium (Gd) doped neodymium phosphate prepared by co-precipitation technique belong to the monoclinic monazite phase with space group P2_1/n. The average crystallite size calculated using Debye-Scherrer and Williamson Hall method matches very well with grain size observed from scanning electron microscope images and Image J software. FTIR analysis signifies the presence of vibration modes along with the phosphate group and a slight shift in wave number was observed with the substitution of gadolinium into neodymium phosphate. Ultraviolet absorption spectrophotometer show transitions from ground state to various excited state within the 4f shell and the absorption edge shifts towards the lower wavelength side (blue shift) with the addition of dopant. Raman spectrum further confirms the formation of phosphate group with relevant peaks.

KEYWORDS:

• Nanoparticle
• co-precipitation
• rare earth phosphate
• optical studies
• Raman spectroscopy

Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facilities (SAIF) Cochin University for providing the facility of powder X-ray diffraction and Gandhigram Rural Institute for carrying out EDAX analysis of the sample.