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Thin films of ErNbO4 and YbNbO4 prepared by sol–gel

  • Original Paper: Sol-gel and hybrid materials for optical, photonic and optoelectronic applications
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Abstract

RENbO4 (RE = Er or Yb) is the most common secondary phase when Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped LiNbO3 is prepared. Thin films of ErNbO4 and YbNbO4 were prepared by spin coating on sapphire (0001) substrates in order to characterize these phases in the form of oriented layers. Coating solution was prepared by sol–gel method from metal alkoxides. The annealing of the films was performed at 800 or 1000 °C in air or oxygen. Prepared films were characterized by XRD, photoluminescence measurement and SEM imaging. The prepared samples contained mostly monoclinic RENbO4 with a small fraction of tetragonal RENbO4. Higher annealing temperature and oxygen atmosphere were shown beneficial for the crystallinity of the films. The results may be helpful at the analysis of Er,Yb:LiNbO3 thin films where these phases can appear when the solid state solubility of Er3+ and Yb3+ cations is exceeded.

Graphical Abstract

The micrographs of prepared films show a great difference in surface morphology.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported from the specific university research (MSMT No 20/2015).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Vít Jakeš, Kateřina Rubešová, Tomáš Hlásek, Vojtěch Polák & Ladislav Nádherný

  2. Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics v.v.i., Cukrovarnická 10/112, 162 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Jiří Oswald

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  1. Vít Jakeš
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  2. Kateřina Rubešová
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  4. Vojtěch Polák
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  5. Jiří Oswald
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  6. Ladislav Nádherný
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Correspondence to Vít Jakeš.

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Jakeš, V., Rubešová, K., Hlásek, T. et al. Thin films of ErNbO4 and YbNbO4 prepared by sol–gel. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 78, 600–605 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-016-3979-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-016-3979-2

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