Abstract. Undoped, Tb³⁺- and Eu³⁺-doped ZnGa₂O₄ colloidal nanocrystals were synthesized by a nonhydrolytic hot solution chemistry. Undoped nanocrystals exhibited an intrinsic blue emission peaking at 437 nm by self-activated transition. The emissions of Tb³⁺-and Eu³⁺-doped ZnGa₂O₄ nanocrystals consisted of their own characteristic green and red line peaks (⁵D₄–⁷F_j transitions), respectively. Synthetic parameters such as activator concentration and reaction time were varied to investigate their effects on luminescent properties. Tb³⁺-doped colloidal nanocrystals synthesized for a short reaction time showed an unprecedented, exclusively green luminescence with the host blue emission effectively suppressed. On the other hand, the emission of Eu³⁺-doped ones was weak with the host emission persistently present regardless of reaction time.

Print publication: Issue 49 (9 December 2009)
Received 27 July 2009, in final form 17 October 2009
Published 6 November 2009