X-ray Luminescence of $\mathrm{Y}_{2}\mathrm{O}_{3}$ Nanopowder and Nanoceramics Sintered at Different Temperatures

Luminescence study of pure yttrium oxide both in the powder state and bulk samples prepared by means of sintering in a vacuum furnace at various temperatures was done. Light emission was excited by X-ray photons with energies up to 60 keV. The spectra measured for Y
₂
O
₃
powder and samples produced at different sintering temperatures have a multiband structure and are similar. The intensity of the bands varies in different ways with the sintering temperature. The shape and position of the maximum change for the UV band. A red shift of the maximum is observed with increasing sintering temperature. The mathematical treatment shows that the band is a superposition of 2 (3) peaks. The peak at 3.45 eV was defined as intrinsic exciton luminescence. The intensity of the Y
₂
O
₃
luminescence spectra depends nonmonotonically on the sintering temperature. There is a range of sintering temperatures at which the intensity of X-ray luminescence is maximal. Intense source of luminescent radiation in a relatively narrow spectral band with a maximum of 573 nm was found.