Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.54, No.3, 876-884, 2015
Photo luminescent and Magnetic Properties of Lanthanide Containing Apatites: Na(x)Ln(10-x)(SiO4)(6)O2-yFy, Ca(x)Ln(10-x)(SiO4)(6)O2-yFy (Ln = Eu, Gd, and Sm), Gd-9.34(SiO4)(6)O-2, and K1.32Pr8.68(SiO4)(6)O1.36F0.64
Single crystals of NaEu9(SiO4)(6)O-2, Na1.5Eu8.5(SiO4)(6)OF, Na1.64Gd8.36(SiO4)(6)O0.72F1.28, Gd-9.34(SiO4)(6)O-2, Ca2.6Eu7.4(SiO4)(6)O1.4F0.6, Ca4.02Sm5.98(SiO4)(6)F-2, and K1.32Pr8.68(SiO4)(6)O1.36F0.64 and powders of NaEu9(SiO4)(6)O-2, Na1.5Eu8.5(SiO4)(6)OF, Eu-9.34(SiO4)(6)O-2, and Gd-9.34(SiO4)(6)O-2 were synthesized via flux growth in selected alkali-fluoride melts. All of the compounds adopt the apatite structure with space group P6(3)/m. Luminescence and magnetic data were collected on NaEu9(SiO4)(6)O-2, Na1.5Eu8.5(SiO4)(6)OF, Eu-9.34(SiO4)(6)O-2, and Gd-9.34(SiO4)(6)O-2. Luminescent data indicate that changing the cations and anions that surround the lanthanide site does not change the luminescent properties, making apatites versatile structures for optical materials.