%0 Journal Article %A Piqueras de Noriega, Javier %A Vila Santos, María %A Díaz-Guerra Viejo, Carlos %T Luminescence and Raman study of α-Bi_2O_3 ceramics %D 2012 %@ 0254-0584 %U https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/44026 %X Cathodoluminescence in the scanning electron microscope and photoluminescence in a confocal microscope have been used to investigate the luminescence properties of the stable monoclinic α-phase of Bi_2O_3. Powders of this oxide have been sintered at temperatures of 500 °C and 750 °C in air or in nitrogen atmospheres. Spectra of the starting powder and of the samples treated at 500 °C show luminescence bands at 1.50 eV and 1.95 eV as well as a band at 2.1 eV, more prominent in nitrogen treated samples. Sintering at 750 °C leads to quenching of the 1.50 eV infrared emission and the formation of a broad band with emission above 3 eV. The evolution of Raman bands with the sintering treatments has also been investigated. %~