Photoluminescence properties of undoped and Si4+-doped polycrystalline Y2O3 phosphors prepared by flash-sintering

Photoluminescence of Y2O3 is commonly activated by the doping of rare-earth elements such as Eu. In the present study, we produced undoped and 1 mol% Si4+-doped, polycrystalline Y2O3 phosphors emitting blue-light by employing flash-sintering process. The luminescence was observed only in the flash-sintered specimens, but was not observed in the conventionally-sintered Y2O3 bodies. In particular, the Si4+-doped Y2O3 body prepared by the flash-sintering process using AC field exhibited remarkable photoluminescence under a UV light. The formation of excess point defects such as oxygen interstitials induced by the flash-sintering and Si4+-doping were likely to be attributed to the blue luminescence.