2013 Volume 121 Issue 1410 Pages 230-235
Ferroelastic β′-Gd2(MoO4)3 and β′-Eu2(MoO4)3 crystals were synthesized through the crystallization of 21.25Gd2O3–63.75MoO3–15B2O3 glass and 22.5Eu2O3–47.5MoO3–30B2O3 glass, respectivelty, and their magnetism and photoluminescence properties were examined. It was demonstrated from the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility and specific heat down to T = 1.8 K that the magnetic state of Gd3+ ions in the crystallized samples, i.e., in the β′-Gd2(MoO4)3 crystals and the residual glasses, is paramagnetic and any magnetic interaction is not formed among Gd3+ ions down to T = 1.8 K, i.e., the effective magnetic moment of µeff = 7.94 µB and Weiss constant of θ = –0.3 K. Photoluminescence (PL) of Eu3+ ions was clearly observed in the crystallized samples, although the melt-quenched glass did not show any photoluminescence. The present study proposes that the concentration quenching among Eu3+ ions in β′-Eu2(MoO4)3 crystals is small and β′-RE2(MoO4)3 crystals would be good hosts for PL emissions of RE3+.