Photoluminescence of Eu3+-doped LaPO4 nanocrystals synthesized by combustion method

Eu3+-doped LaPO4 nanocrystals were synthesized for the first time by a combustion method with urea as a fuel calcined at 700 °C. The diffraction profile of the obtained sample was indexed as a monoclinic monazite-structure by X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. The obtained nanocrystals appeared to be short rod-like with diameters of 5–10 nm and lengths of 20–70 nm. The luminescence intensities of Eu3+-doped LaPO4 nanocrystals were found to be strongly dependent on the quantities of urea added and the concentration of Eu3+.