Fluorescence study of zirconia films doped by Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺ and Sm³⁺ and their comparison with silica films

Zirconia oxide and silica oxide films doped by europium, terbium and samarium were prepared by the sol gel method and deposited on quartz slides. Fluorescence and excitation spectra of the samples were measured using species with the same number of ions per unit thickness. Europium excited into the charge transfer band and terbium excited into the f-d band showed enhanced fluorescence in the zirconia matrix. When samarium was excited into the intra f-f transitions bands it exhibited luminescence in zirconia only but not in silica films. For Eu and Tb higher luminescent intensities of the rare earth ions were obtained in zirconia films. The advantages of zirconia films is discussed.