Effect of Annealing on the Crystal Structure and Microstructure of Pr Doped $ZrO_{2}-Y_{2}O_{3}$ Nanocrystals

Rare-earth doped nanocrystalline yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ, $ZrO_{2}-Y_{2}O_{3}$) is, recently, a subject of studies because of its luminescent properties. The luminescence may be strongly influenced by the crystal structure and microstructure of the material. In this work, the X-ray diffraction study for Pr doped YSZ nanocrystals is presented. The phase composition dependence on the $Y_{2}O_{3}$ content and on heat treatment conditions is quantitatively determined using the Rietveld method and the similarities and differences between the present data for doped samples and earlier reported data for undoped material are discussed. A formation of high symmetry phases (cubic and tetragonal) is observed for high yttria content in agreement with general tendencies observed in literature for undoped samples.