Influence of Fe3+ ion doping on the luminescence emission behavior and photocatalytic activity of Fe3+, Eu3+-codoped TiO2 thin films

Abstract Thin films of Fe3+ doped TiO2:0.01Eu3+ nanoparticles were coated by sol-gel spin coating technique on glass substrates. The studies carried out by using X-ray Diffractometer, SEM-EDX, HRTEM, spectroscopic ellipsometer, Raman, EPR, UV–Vis, and fluorescence spectrometer techniques. The crystalline structure and phase formation of Fe doped TiO2:0.01Eu3+ nanoparticles were investigated using X-ray Diffractometer. The HRTEM pictures of 3%, and 5% Fe doped TiO2:0.01Eu3+ films confirmed that the particle size is about 11 nm and 9.5 nm respectively. Raman spectroscopy was used to study the phase identification and vibrational modes present in Fe, Eu codoped TiO2 films. The band gap declined with cumulative amount of Fe3+. The EPR analysis endorses that the Fe3+ ions are successfully doped in the lattice of Titania by replacing Ti4+ ions and formation of oxygen vacancies and Ti3+ sites. With 393 nm excitation, the Fe doped TiO2:0.01Eu3+ nanoparticles show characteristic photoluminescence in the visible range. The strong luminescence emission at 614 nm is related to the 5D0 → 7F2 ED transition. The emission peak intensity declined with an increase in the amount of Fe3+. J–O and radiative parameters of Fe doped TiO2:0.01Eu3+ films obtained from the emission spectra. These nanophosphor films having significant CIE chromaticity coordinate (x, y) values with high color purity might have potential applications in solid-state display devices. The photocatalytic activity (PCA) of Fe, Eu codoped TiO2 nanostructured films were estimated using decolorization of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO). Fe, Eu codoped TiO2 films exhibit strong photocatalytic performance than undoped and single doped TiO2 films. The degradation efficiencies significantly increase with an increase in Fe3+ doping concentration reached maximum at 3%Fe doping and then reduces gradually at high concentrations due to the formation of recombination centers for charge carriers at a higher amount of Fe doping.