AVS 51st International Symposium
    Thin Films Monday Sessions
       Session TF-MoP

Paper TF-MoP4
Combinatorial Synthesis of Rare Earth-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Thin Film Materials by Using rf Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

Monday, November 15, 2004, 5:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall B

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: Y. Deng, University of Tennessee
Authors: Y. Deng, University of Tennessee
J.D. Fowlkes, University of Tennessee
P.D. Rack, University of Tennessee
Correspondent: Click to Email
Yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) is known to be good host material for rare-earth doped luminescent materials. The rare earth ion typically substitutes for the yttrium sites which have a D2 symmetry in the YAG. The emission spectrum depends on the dopant type. Gadolinium radiates in the ultra-violet region at a dominant wavelength of ~ 312 and 275nm due to intra-band 4f transitions, while cerium peaks from 500 to 650nm due to interband 4f-5d transitions. To investigate the luminescence characteristic of dopants, thin films of gadolinium-doped and cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Gd and YAG:Ce) have been deposited by rf reactive magnetron sputtering. The dopant concentration effect on the cathodoluminescent (CL) properties of the films has been studied. Optimized conditions have been achieved by using a combinatorial thin film synthesis technique. The structure and composition of the films have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The crystallinity of the films has been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The luminescence properties of the films will be correlated to the chemical and microstructural properties of the films.