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Low dimensional systems

Properties of the amorphous-nanocrystalline Gd$_2$O$_3$ powder prepared by pulsed electron beam evaporation

V. G. Ilves^a, S. Yu. Sokovnin^ba, S. A. Uporov^c, M. G. Zuev<sup>bd

a</sup> Institute of Electrophysics, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg
^b Ural Federal University named after the First President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg
^c Institute of Metallurgy, Ural Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg
^d Institute of Solid State Chemistry, Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg

Abstract: An amorphous-nanocrystalline Gd$_2$O$_3$ powder with a specific surface area of 155 m$^2$/g has been prepared using pulsed electron beam evaporation in vacuum. The nanopowder consists of 20- to 500-nm agglomerates formed by crystalline nanoparticles (3–12 nm in diameter) connected by amorphous-nanocrystalline strands. At room temperature, the Gd$_2$O$_3$ nanopowder exhibits a paramagnetic behavior. The phase transformations occurring in the powder have been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry (40–1400$^\circ$C). The amorphous phase of the nanopowder is thermally stable up to a temperature of 1080$^\circ$C. It has been found that the amorphous phase has an inhibitory effect on the temperature of the polymorphic transformation from the cubic phase into the monoclinic phase. It has been revealed that, compared with the microcrystalline powder, the Gd$_2$O$_3$ nanopowder is characterized by a complete quenching of photoluminescence.

Received: 07.11.2012

 English version: Physics of the Solid State, 2013, 55:6, 1262–1271

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