Investigations on Single Phase Formation of Dy Doped

We report the preparation of single phase Dy doped Y 3 Al 5 O 12 nanoparticles by modified sol-gel technique. The modified sol-gel method consists of a mixture of nitrates in an aqueous media and citric acid as chelating agents. Ethylene glycol was used for esterification. Dy doping concentration was optimized and kept at 1 at.% in the present work. Single phase nanocrystalline material obtained at 850°C. Prepared powder was annealed at different temperatures. These nanoparticles were characterized for size and microstructure using powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Average particle sizes were found ranging 20-50 nm.