EPR study of rare-earth impurities in single crystals of the zircon-structure orthophosphates ScPO/sub 4/, YPO/sub 4/, and LuPO/sub 4/

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · J. Chem. Phys.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6658114

Abraham, M M; Boatner, L A; Ramey, J O; Rappaz, M

Ceramic materials based on the lanthanide orthophosphate series of compounds are known to be highly stable both chemically and physically. These characteristics have recently led to an extensive evaluation of these substances as potential primary containment media for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes. Since one important class of high-level nuclear waste (i.e., reprocessed light water reactor spent fuel) contains a relatively high concentration of various lanthanides, the solid state chemical properties of the mixed rare-earth and actinide-doped orthophosphates are of considerable practical interest. The Kramers' ions Ce/sup 3 +/, Nd/sup 3 +/, Dy/sup 3 +/, Er/sup 3 +/, Yb/sup 3 +/, and U/sup 3 +/ have been incorporated in single crystals of the tetragonal symmetry hosts ScPO/sub 4/, YPO/sub 4/, and LuPO/sub 4/, and EPR spectroscopy has been used to verify the substitutional behavior of these ions and to investigate their electronic ground state properties. Principal axial spectroscopic splitting factors and hyperfine parameters were determined. These results are compared to those obtained for the same paramagnetic ions in other hosts characterized by crystal fields with tetragonal symmetry at the impurity-ion site.

• Research Organization: Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
• OSTI ID: 6658114
• Journal Information: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Chem. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 78:1; ISSN JCPSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360204* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Physical Properties
ACTINIDE ALLOYS
ALLOYS
CERIUM ADDITIONS
CERIUM ALLOYS
CERIUM IONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CRYSTAL FIELD
DYSPROSIUM ADDITIONS
DYSPROSIUM ALLOYS
DYSPROSIUM IONS
ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE
ERBIUM ADDITIONS
ERBIUM ALLOYS
ERBIUM IONS
IONS
LUTETIUM COMPOUNDS
LUTETIUM PHOSPHATES
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
NEODYMIUM ADDITIONS
NEODYMIUM ALLOYS
NEODYMIUM IONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
RARE EARTH ADDITIONS
RARE EARTH ALLOYS
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
RESONANCE
SCANDIUM COMPOUNDS
SCANDIUM PHOSPHATES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
URANIUM ADDITIONS
URANIUM ALLOYS
URANIUM IONS
YTTERBIUM ADDITIONS
YTTERBIUM ALLOYS
YTTERBIUM IONS
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM PHOSPHATES