The phenomenon of ‘self-purification’ is a real mechanism operative in nanocrystals and this should be taken into account while doping semiconductor nanocrystals with external impurities for practical applications.
ABSTRACTNanophase (n-) ZrO2 was produced in its pure and partially stabilized form by the gas-phase condensation method. The material was examined by x-ray diffraction and Raman scattering to obtain information on the structural evolution of the material during sintering. Two types of Y2O3 doped ZrO2 nanophase materials were made one by co-deposition of n-Y2O3 and n-ZrO2 in a consecutive manner and the second by mechanically mixing n-Y2O3 and n-ZrO2. We have determined that the co-deposition process is the most effect means of doping the n-ZrO2.