Luminescence of delafossite-type CuAlO(2) fibers with Eu substitution for Al cations

CuAlO(2) has been examined as a potential luminescent material by substituting Eu for Al cations in the delafossite structure. CuAlO(2):Eu(3+) nanofibers have been prepared via electrospinning for the ease of mitigating synthesis requirements and for future optoelectronics and emerging applications. Single-phase CuAlO(2) fibers could be obtained at a temperature of 1100 °C in air. The Eu was successfully doped in the delafossite structure and two strong emission bands at ~405 and 610 nm were observed in the photoluminescence spectra. These bands are due to the intrinsic near-band-edge transition of CuAlO(2) and the f-f transition of the Eu(3+) activator, respectively. Further electrical characterization indicated that these fibers exhibit semiconducting behavior and the introduction of Eu could act as band-edge modifiers, thus changing the thermal activation energies. In light of this study, CuAlO(2):Eu(3+) fibers with both strong photoluminescence and p-type conductivity could be produced by tailoring the rare earth doping concentrations.