High Eu(3+) concentration quenching in Y(3)TaO(7) solid solution for orange-reddish emission in photonics

We report the synthesis of a Y(3)TaO(7) solid solution containing a high Eu(3+) concentration (from 7 up to 50 mol%) and investigate how Eu(3+) influences the Y(3)TaO(7) crystallization process. To this end, we evaluate the Y(3)TaO(7) structural features and photoluminescence properties after Eu(3+) introduction into the Y(3)TaO(7) lattice. The higher the Eu(3+) ion concentration, the more stable the crystallization process of the Y(3)TaO(7) phase seems to be. The Eu(3+)-containing Y(3)TaO(7) displays intense orange-reddish, broad band emission because Eu(3+) occupies different symmetry sites in the host and causes inhomogeneous broadening. Eu(3+) emission quenching due to Eu(3+) concentration is negligible up to 30 mol% and absolute quantum yield values of up to nearly 30% were obtained, making Eu(3+)-containing Y(3)TaO(7) interesting materials for application as high-intensity emitters in photonics.