The Visible Light Absorption Mechanism for Cubic Zirconia by Cobalt‐Ion Implantation

To investigate the effect of Co ions on the visible light absorption mechanism of cubic zirconia, Co ions are doped into colorless cubic zirconia with an ion implantation method and related heat treatment is performed. The elemental content, the role of Co, and the types of O elements in cubic ZrO2 are also analyzed utilizing the data from UV–visible spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Based on the experimental results, the contribution of Co implantation on the visible light absorption of cubic zirconia is calculated from the electronic structure and related optical properties according to the density functional theory. The study results show that the colorless cubic ZrO2 is blue in color after ion implantation and then fades after 1400 °C heat treatment. Thus, the visible light absorption and the spectroscopic characteristics are related to the oxygen vacancy and the d‐orbital transition of Co ions.