Optical characterization of infrared emitting Nd3+ doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles prepared by hydrothermal method

Trivalent Nd doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles were prepared by a hydrothermal method using calcium nitrate and diammonium phosphate as precursors. Well crystallized nanoparticles of size less than 200nm with hexagonal plate and rod morphologies were obtained at a reaction temperature of 180°C. Under 808nm excitation the nanoparticles exhibit strong near infrared emission at 1064nm. All the emission spectral properties such as emission intensity and fluorescence decay time are found to decrease with Nd3+ concentration. In Hap 0.5% Nd shows the highest decay time of 159μs and highest emission at 1064nm emission.