PHASE FORMATION AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF VANADIUM-DOPED ALUMINUM OXYNTRIDE

The phase formation, morphology, and optical properties of aluminum oxynitride (AlON) doped with vanadium ions were studied in the concentration range of 0.01–5.0 at. % (relative to aluminum). All samples were obtained by calcining mixtures of AlO, AlN, and VO at a temperature of 1750°C in a nitrogen flow. The resulting materials were predominantly single-phase γ-AlON with minor impurities of aluminum nitride, as well as VC, VN, VO, or their solid solutions, for vanadium concentrations of ≥0.1 at. %. In AlON-V, the band gap () ranges from 5.82 to 5.94 eV, depending on the vanadium concentration. The luminescence of AlON-V is attributed to intrinsic defects and impurity luminescence centers. The presence of vanadium in AlON results in an increase in the optical absorption and a decrease in the intensity of intrinsic luminescence, which is caused by the formation of vanadium-containing impurity phases.