Synthesis and characterization of Eu3+-doped C12H18Ca3O18 phosphor

A series of Eu³⁺-doped C₁₂H₁₈Ca₃O₁₈ phosphors were synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method and the properties of as-prepared phosphors were explored by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectrometer. The exploration results indicated that the C₁₂H₁₈Ca₃O_18:Eu³⁺ had been successfully synthesized. The morphology of C₁₂H₁₈Ca₃O_18:Eu³⁺ was a strip with the size of 100–4000 nm × 50–400 nm × 50–200 nm and the ratio of length to width of 2–80. The strongest emission peak of C₁₂H₁₈Ca₃O_18:Eu³⁺ around 620 nm was ascribed to ⁵D_o→⁷F₂ transition of Eu³⁺, and the peaks centered at 590, 653 and 694 nm respectively corresponded to ⁵D_o →⁷F₁, ⁷F₃, and ⁷F₄ transitions. C₁₂H₁₈Ca₃O_18: Eu³⁺ gave the red light emission, as indicated by color coordinate analysis. The photoluminescence intensity of the phosphors prepared under the Eu³⁺ concentration of 6% was the highest. The crystal structure of C₁₂H₁₈Ca₃O_18:Eu³⁺ was changed after europium ions occupied the lattice position of calcium ions. Europium ion could displace calcium arbitrarily. As a new kind of matrix, calcium citrate possesses the properties of both organic and inorganic compounds and the luminescent C₁₂H₁₈Ca₃O₁₈: x Eu³⁺ particles may be applied in biological fluorescent tags and luminescent materials.     

Functionalized Mesoporous SBA-15 with CeF<Subscript>3</Subscript>: Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript> Nanoparticle by Three Different Methods: Synthesis,Characterization, and Photoluminescence

Luminescence functionalization of the ordered mesoporous SBA-15 silica is realized by depositing a CeF₃: Eu³⁺ phosphor layer on its surface (denoted as CeF₃: Eu³⁺/SBA-15/IS, CeF₃: Eu³⁺/SBA-15/SI and CeF₃: Eu³⁺/SBA-15/SS) using three different methods, which are reaction in situ (I-S), solution impregnation (S-I) and solid phase grinding synthesis (S-S), respectively. The structure, morphology, porosity, and optical properties of the materials are well characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N₂ adsorption, and photoluminescence spectra. These materials all have high surface area, uniformity in the mesostructure and crystallinity. As expected, the pore volume, surface area, and pore size of SBA-15 decrease in sequence after deposition of the CeF₃: Eu³⁺ nanophosphors. Furthermore, the efficient energy transfer in mesoporous material mainly occurs between the Ce³⁺ and the central Eu³⁺ ion. They show the characteristic emission of Ce³⁺ 5d → 4f (200–320 nm) and Eu^{3+ 5}D₀ → ⁷F _J (J = 1–4, with ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₁ orange emission at 588 nm as the strongest one) transitions, respectively. In addition, for comparison, the mesoporous material CeF₃: Eu³⁺/SBA-15/SS exhibits the characteristic emission of Eu³⁺ ion under UV irradiation with higher luminescence intensity than the other materials.     

Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of MgAl(PO4)O:Eu red phosphor for white LEDs

Eu³⁺-activated MgAl(PO₄)O:phosphor has been synthesized by a high temperature solid state reaction and efficient red emission under near-ultraviolet excitation is observed. The emission spectrum shows a dominant peak at 594 nm due to the ⁵D₀→⁷F₁ transition of Eu³⁺. The excitation spectrum is coupled well with the emission of UV LED (350–410 nm). The effect of Eu³⁺ concentration on the luminescent properties of MgAl(PO₄)O:Eu³⁺ and the mechanism of concentration quenching of Eu³⁺ are studied. The results show that MgAl(PO₄)O:Eu³⁺ is a promising red-emitting phosphor for white LEDs.     

First observation of 5DJ (J=1, 2, 3) emission transitions in Eu3+-activated rare-earth antimony garnet R3Sb5O12 (R=Y,Gd, La)

R_2.9Eu_0.1Sb₅O₁₂ (R=Y, Gd, La) polycrystalline powders were prepared by solid-state reaction and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence, decay lifetimes, and CIE color coordinates. The phosphors can be efficiently excited by UV-light and presents the emission covering the entire visible spectrum. Except for the commonly reported ⁵D₀–⁷F_0,1,2,3,4 transitions of Eu³⁺ ions in R_2.9Eu_0.1Sb₅O₁₂ (R=Y, La), higher ⁵D_1,2,3 states present stronger emission lines. This produces white emission in the single-phased phosphor, whereas R_2.9Eu_0.1Sb₅O₁₂ (R=Gd) shows orange emission due to the absence of ⁵D_3,2 transitions. The emission mechanism from the high-energy levels of ⁵D_1,2,3 Eu³⁺ ion in R_2.9Eu_0.1Sb₅O₁₂ (R=Y, Gd, La) phosphors is also discussed.     

Spectroscopic investigations on high efficiency deep red-emitting Ca2SiO4:Eu3+ phosphors synthesized from agricultural waste

Europium doped calcium orthosilicate (Ca₂SiO₄) phosphors have been synthesized by the conventional high temperature solid-state reaction method in various concentrations from agricultural waste (egg shell as a CaO and rice husk as a SiO₂). These phosphors structure from X-ray diffraction and morphology from scanning electron microscopy have been examined. Concentration dependent Eu³⁺ ions luminescent properties in Ca₂SiO₄ phosphors have been studied from the excitation, emission and decay curves analysis. The ⁵D₀ → ⁷F_J transitions observed in luminescence spectrum allows to determine the site symmetry of the Eu³⁺ ion. A charge transfer band (CTB) at around 260?nm which is due to the Eu–O interaction in the host along with the 4f – 4f excitation bands due to Eu³⁺ ions in UV and blue regions are observed. The color co-ordinates determined from emission spectra varies with concentrations of Eu³⁺ ions and are found to fall in the red region. The decay curves show single exponential behavior for all concentrations of Eu³⁺ ions (0.01–0.4?mol%) and the lifetimes varied from 2.67 to 2.78?ms. It is worth noting that the present material is found to be far better than many red phosphors synthesized by using agricultural waste as raw materials.     

Cathodoluminescence and thermoluminescence of ZnB2O4:Eu3+ phosphors prepared via wet-chemical synthesis

In present work, a series of Eu doped zinc borate, ZnB₂O₄, phosphors prepared via wet chemical synthesis and their structural, surface morphology, cathodoluminescence (CL) and thermoluminescence (TL) properties have been studied. Phase purity and crystal structure of as-prepared samples are confirmed by X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD) and they were well consistent with PDF card No. 39-1126, indicating the formation of pure phase. The thermoluminescence (TL) behaviors of Eu activated ZnB₂O₄ host lattice are studied for various beta doses ranging from 0.1 to 10?Gy. The high-temperature peak of Eu activated sample located at 192?°C exhibited a linear dose response in the range of 0.1–10?Gy. Initial rise (IR) and peak shape (PS) methods were used to determine the activation energies of the trapping centres. The effects of the variable heating rate on TL behaviour of Eu activated ZnB₂O₄ were also studied. When excited using an electron beam induced light emission (i.e cathodoluminescence, CL) at room temperature (RT), the as-prepared phosphors generate reddish-orange color due to predominant emission peaks of Eu³⁺ ions located at 576–710?nm assigned to the ⁵D₀→⁷F_J (J=1,2,3, and 4) transitions. The maximum CL intensity for Eu³⁺ ions at 614?nm with transition ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ was reached Eu³⁺ concentration of 5?mol%; quenching occurred at higher concentrations. Strong emission peak for Eu³⁺ ions at 614?nm with transition ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ is observed. The CL experimental data indicate that ZnB₂O₄:Eu³⁺ phosphor as an orange-red emitting phosphor may be promising luminescence materials for the optoelectronic applications.     

Novel orange-emitting Ba2LaNbO6:Eu3+ nanophosphors for NUV-based WLEDs and photocatalytic water purification

Energy conservation and environmental safety are the key requirements in the modern world. We report novel orange-emitting double perovskite Ba₂LaNbO₆:Eu³⁺ (BLN:Eu³⁺) nanophosphor fabricated using a citrate sol-gel method for use in general illumination and photocatalysis. After annealing at 800?℃, the particles exhibited a nanorod-like morphology with monoclinic structure. The photoluminescence emission spectra exhibited an intense ⁵D₀→⁷F₁ transition at 594?nm and a moderate ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition at 615?nm, demonstrating that the Eu³⁺ ions occupied the La³⁺ sites with inversion symmetry. The optimal concentration of Eu³⁺ ions was found to be about 5?mol% for the BLN host lattice. Energy transfer from the NbO₆^7- octahedrons to the Eu³⁺ ions was clearly witnessed when the BLN:Eu³⁺ nanophosphors were excited with both the characteristic excitation bands of Eu³⁺ (⁷F₀→⁵L₆) and NbO₆^7- octahedrons at 392 and 380?nm, respectively. The thermal quenching temperature of 5?mol% Eu³⁺ ions doped BLN nanophosphors was found to be 183?℃, indicating that these nanophosphors are very stable at high temperatures. In addition, the dye removal efficiency of the proposed BLN nanophosphors was verified using Rhodamine B (RhB) dye as a model pollutant under UV irradiation. Compared to a commercial nano-ZnO catalyst, our synthesized BLN nanophosphors showed superior RhB de-colorization efficiency. Therefore, the proposed BLN:Eu³⁺ nanophosphors are promising multifunctional materials for photocatalysis and general lighting applications.     

Effects of In2O3 nanoparticles doping on the photoluminescent properties of Eu2+/Eu3+ ions in silica glasses

Eu²⁺/Eu³⁺ ions doped silica glasses contained In₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs) have been fabricated by using nanoporous silica glasses. Interestingly, efficient energy transfer from In₂O₃ NPs to Eu²⁺/Eu³⁺ ions enhanced the photoluminescence (PL) emission of Eu²⁺/Eu³⁺ ions, which derives from lattice defects in In₂O₃ NPs. Our work has not only demonstrated a facile way to fabricate NPs and rare earth ions co-doped silica glasses, but also extended the applications of semiconductor oxide NPs such as In₂O₃ NPs.     

Synthesis and photoluminescence enhancement of Ca3Sr3(VO4)4:Eu3+ red phosphors by co-doping with La3+

In this study, a series of red-emitting Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄:Eu³⁺ phosphors co-doped with La³⁺ was prepared using the combustion method. The microstructures, morphologies, and photoluminescence properties of the phosphors were investigated. All Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄:Eu³⁺, La³⁺ samples synthesized at temperatures greater than 700 ℃ exhibited the same standard rhombohedral structure of Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄. Furthermore, the Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄:Eu³⁺, La³⁺ phosphor was effectively excited by near-ultraviolet light of 393 nm and blue light of 464 nm. The strong excitation peak at 464 nm corresponded to the ⁷F₀→⁵D₂ electron transition of Eu³⁺. The strong emission peak observed at 619 nm corresponded to the ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ electron transition of Eu³⁺. Co-doping with La³⁺ significantly improved the emission intensity of Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄:Eu³⁺ red phosphors. The optimum luminescence of the phosphor was observed at Eu³⁺ and La³⁺ concentrations of 5% and 6%, respectively. Moreover, co-doping with La³⁺ also improved the fluorescence lifetime and thermal stability of the Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄:Eu³⁺ phosphor. The CIE chromaticity coordinate of Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄:0.05Eu³⁺, 0.06La³⁺ was closer to the NTSC standard for red phosphors than those of other commercial phosphors; moreover, it had greater color purity than that of all the samples tested. The red emission intensity of Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄:0.05Eu³⁺, 0.06La³⁺ at 619 nm was ~1.53 times that of Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄:0.05Eu³⁺ and 2.63 times that of SrS:Eu²⁺. The introduction of charge compensators could further increase the emission intensity of Ca₃Sr₃(VO₄)₄:Eu³⁺, La³⁺ red phosphors. The phosphors synthesized herein are promising red-emitting phosphors for applications in white light-emitting diodes under irradiation by blue chips.     

Spectroscopic investigations of Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and Tb<Superscript>3+</Superscript>: Cadmium lead boro tellurite glasses

This paper reports on the preparation and spectral properties of europium (Eu³⁺) and terbium (Tb³⁺) ions doped cadmium lead boro tellurite (CLBT) glasses. For reference glasses, physical properties have been evaluated. From the [measurements of X-ray diffraction (XRD), glass amorphous nature of these [glasses has been studied. From the emission spectra of Eu³⁺: CLBT glasses, five [transitions (⁵ D ₀ → ⁷ F ₀, ⁷ F ₁, ⁷ F ₂, ⁷ F ₃ and ⁷ F ₄) at 579, 591, 613, 652 and 701 nm are observed with λ_exci = 392 nm (⁷ F ₀ → ⁵ L ₆) and in the case of Tb³⁺: CLBT glasses, four emission transitions ⁵ D ₄ → (⁷ F ₆, ⁷ F ₅, ⁷ F ₄ and ⁷ F ₃) are observed at 489, 543, 584 and 621nm respectively monitered with λ_exci = 376 nm (⁷ F ₆ → ⁵ G ₆).     

Facile synthesis of water-soluble luminescent mesoporous Tb(OH)3@SiO2 core-shell nanospheres

Luminescent mesoporous Tb(OH)₃@SiO₂ core-shell nanospheres were synthesized through W/O microemulsion process at ambient temperature. The negatively charged silica favors a coating of the positively charged Tb³⁺ composite. Thus, silicon layer was adsorbed on the surface of Tb(OH)₃ groups to form Tb-O-Si through electrostatic interaction. X-ray diffraction, field emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared, UV/Visible, and photoluminescence spectroscopies were applied to examine the phase purity, crystallinity, surface morphology, and optical properties of the core-shell nanospheres. The FE-TEM results have revealed typically ordered mesoporous characteristics of the material with monodisperse spherical morphology in a narrow size distribution. The luminescent mesoporous core-shell nanospheres exposed remarkable splitting with broadening in the emission transition ⁵D₄ → ⁷F₅ (543 nm). In addition, the luminescent mesoporous core-shell nanospheres emit strong green fluorescence (from Tb³⁺) in the middle of the visible region under 325 nm (3.8) excitation. The luminescent mesoporous Tb(OH)₃@SiO₂ core-shell nanospheres can therefore be exploited as fluorescent probes in biomarkers or biolabeling, optical sensing, and drug delivery system. Further, these nanospheres could have potential use as scattering layers in dye-sensitized solar cells.     

Near-IR Emission and upconversion luminescent properties of Tb3+/Yb3+ Co-doped HfO2/SiO2 nanoparticles

The luminescent characteristics of spherical hafnia/silica (HfO₂/SiO₂) nanoparticles (NP?s) co-doped with Tb³⁺/Yb³⁺ were analysed. These NP?s were synthesized using the spray pyrolysis technique. The addition of SiO₂ and Tb³⁺/Yb³⁺ was found to induce a cubic phase in HfO₂. The luminescent spectra presented the characteristic emission peaks for inter-electronic energy levels transitions of the Tb³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions, with an excitation band centred at 270 nm. Under solid-state laser excitation at 980 nm an upconversion emission related to the Tb³⁺ ion was observed. The maximum emission peak in the visible region was at 543 nm, associated with ⁵D₄ → ⁷F₅ transitions of the Tb³⁺ ions and an IR emission peak at 970 nm (²F_5/2 → ²F_7/2) pertaining to Yb³⁺, with irradiation at 270 nm (UV). The energy transfer mechanism from Tb³⁺→Yb³⁺ (excitation at 270 nm), is discussed based on the time decay of the luminescence intensity analysis and the energy transfer efficiency (η_ET) and was determined to be in the range of 29.2% to40.8%.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Electrospun Poly(ethylene oxide)/Europium-Doped Yttrium Orthovanadate (PEO/YVO4:Eu3+) Hybrid Nanofibers

Europium-doped yttrium orthovanadate/polyethylene oxide nanofibers were fabricated by firstly, synthesizing crystalline YVO₄:Eu³⁺ nanoparticles using an aqueous precipitation method followed by electrospinning of PEO/YVO₄:Eu³⁺ polymer composites. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the nanoparticles exhibited well-defined peaks that were indexed as the tetragonal phase of YVO_4. No additional peaks of other phases were observed indicating that Eu³⁺ ions were effectively built into the YVO₄ host lattice. The photoluminescence spectra for the nanofibers showed peaks at 593, 615, 650, and 698 nm which was ascribed to the ⁵D_0? ⁷F₁, ⁵D_0? ⁷F₂, ⁵D_0? ⁷F₃ and ⁵D_0? ⁷F₄ transitions of Eu³⁺. Due to an efficient energy transfer from vanadate groups to Eu³⁺, the composite nanofibers showed a strong red emission under ultraviolet excitation characteristic of the red luminescence of the europium ion. The results demonstrate that this synthetic approach could prove to be viable for the fabrication of rare earth/polymer composite nanofibers intended for luminescent device applications.     

Anomalous 5D0-7FJ photoluminescence properties and the random site occupancy of Eu3+ in Sr5(BO3)3F

A novel luminescent material Sr₅(BO₃)₃F:x%Eu³⁺ was synthesized for the first time by a high temperature solid phase reaction in an air atmosphere. The luminescence properties and site occupancy of Sr₅(BO₃)₃F:x%Eu³⁺ phosphors were studied. The XRD powder diffraction data imply that the series of targets synthesized are pure phases. After repeated experiments, it was found that the main peak position of the excitation and emission spectra changed greatly when the same concentration or different concentration of Eu³⁺ was doped, and two kinds of spectral phenomena appeared. First, the position of the broadband excitation peak is about 335 nm, and the position of the strongest emission peak belongs to the ⁵D₀→⁷F₀ transition of Eu³⁺ at 572 nm. Second, the position of the broadband excitation peak is about 275 nm, and the position of the strongest emission peak belongs to the ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition of Eu³⁺ at 619 nm. These imply that different lattice sites are occupied by Eu³⁺ in Sr₅(BO₃)₃F. At the same time, the unusually strong ⁵D₀→⁷F₀ transition illustrates the presence of interstitial oxygen and anomalous crystal field strength in system. A theoretical calculation method of bond energy was applied to study the site occupancy of Eu³⁺, which shows that any one of Sr1, Sr2, and Sr3 has the possibility of being occupied by Eu³⁺. Therefore, our test results are consistent well with the theoretical analysis.     

Highly uniform Gd(OH)3 and Gd2O3:Eu hexagram-like microcrystals: glucose-assisted hydrothermal synthesis,growth mechanism and luminescence property

Monodispersed and uniform Gd(OH)₃ microcrystals with novel hexagram-like morphology have been successfully prepared through a simple and green hydrothermal process with the assistance of glucose. The results of control experiments revealed that the glucose concentration in the reaction system was an important factor, which affected the morphology of the Gd(OH)₃ microcrystals significantly. On the basis of time-dependent experiments, the growth mechanism of the Gd(OH)₃ hexagrams was discussed. Furthermore, the Gd₂O₃ and Eu³⁺-doped Gd₂O₃ hexagram-like microcrystals, inheriting the Gd(OH)₃ precursors' morphology, were obtained during a direct annealing process in air. The corresponding Gd₂O₃:Eu³⁺ hexagram-like microcrystals exhibit strong red emission pertaining to the ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition of the Eu³⁺ ions under UV light, which have potential applications in novel optoelectronic devices.     

Grain-orientation-engineered textured BaMoO4: Eu3+ luminescent thin film

Rare-earth-doped luminescent thin films have been responsible for unprecedented positive impacts in optoelectronic devices with high lateral resolution, excellent thermal stability, and strong adhesion to the solid surface. However, limited emission intensity and high-cost fabrication routine deeply inhibit their practical and commercial applications. Here, we propose a grain orientation engineering strategy via simple and low-cost polymer-assisted deposition (PAD) to fabricate textured BaMoO₄: Eu³⁺ thin films with highly improved emission intensity by reducing the lattice mismatch between the thin films and substrates. The high-quality <004>-textured BaMoO₄: Eu³⁺ thin film mounted on the (001)-oriented Si substrate with the Lotgering factor F₀₀₄ of 94.6%, boosting up the emission intensity of which to 366% compared to their randomly oriented counterparts. Moreover, the as-fabricated BaMoO₄: Eu³⁺ film shows strong red emission at 615 nm corresponding to the ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition of Eu³⁺ with correlated color temperature (CCT) of 2922 °C and ultra-high color purity (nearly 100%). Furthermore, the geometry, size, and luminescence performance of the crystals can be precisely manipulated by tuning the growth temperature, layers of the film, and doping concentration. The present research offers a novel and low-cost route to engineer luminescent films with controllable orientation and enhanced emission intensity, which demonstrate great potentials towards practical applications and industrialization.     

Microwave-assisted solvothermal preparation and photoluminescence properties of Y2O3:Eu phosphors

Europium doped yttrium oxide phosphors were synthesized by a rapid microwave-assisted solvothermal method. The microwave processing time for synthesizing the precursors of Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ powders was as short as 5 min. After calcination at 600 °C, a well-crystallized pure phase of Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ was obtained. The morphology of the precipitated powders was spherical and composed of nano-sized grains. As the microwave irradiation time was increased, the average particle size of the spherical powders increased, and the crystallinity of heat-treated powders was also enhanced. The synthesized powders retained the spherical morphology after heating treatments. An intense red emission at 611 nm was assigned to the ⁵D₀-⁷F₂ transition of Eu³⁺.     

The luminescence and structural characteristics of Eu-doped NaBaPO4 phosphor

Eu³⁺-doped NaBaPO₄ was prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction. The phase formation was confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction measurements. The laser site-selective excitation and emission spectra have been investigated in the ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₀ region by using a pulsed, tunable and narrowband dye laser. The excitation spectra corresponding to the ⁷F₀ → ⁵D₀ transition consist of two transitions at 579.6 nm Eu(I) and 578.9 nm Eu(II), indicating the Eu³⁺ ions occupy two crystallographic sites of Ba²⁺ ions. The decay lifetimes of the two Eu³⁺ sites were measured. Two crystallographic sites for Eu³⁺ ions doped in NaBaPO₄ lattice were assigned from the luminescence characteristic and structure features. Meanwhile, the charge compensation mechanism of Eu³⁺ doping in NaBaPO₄ was discussed.     

White light emission from Eu co-activated Ca2Gd8Si6O26:Dy nanophosphors by solvothermalsynthesis

Ca₂Gd₈(SiO₄)₆O₂ (CGS) nanophosphors with different concentrations of single-doped Dy³⁺ ions and co-doped Dy³⁺/Eu³⁺ ions were prepared by a solvothermal synthesis. Very fine particles in the nanometer range could be achieved by this method, as evidenced by transmission electron microscope measurements. The hexagonal phase of the oxyapatite structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction patterns. The energy transfer between Eu³⁺ and Dy³⁺ ions was investigated by photoluminescence excitation and emission properties. These phosphors had absorption bands in the UV and NUV region, which are suitable for the emission wavelength of UV or NUV light-emitting diodes (LEDs). With increasing the Eu³⁺ ion concentration, the emission peak intensity corresponding to the ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition increased and the yellow (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_13/2) emission intensity also increased compared to the blue (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_15/2) emission intensity due to the increased energy transfer between Dy³⁺ to Eu³⁺ ions. Thus, the Eu³⁺ ions compensated the red emission component of the Dy³⁺ doped CGS nanophosphors. Such phosphors are expected to have potential applications for NUV based white LEDs.     

The luminescence spectroscopy and thermal stability of red-emitting phosphor Ca9Eu(VO4)7

Eu-based vanadate Ca₉Eu(VO₄)₇ phosphor was synthesized by the solid state reaction method and was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra, fluorescence decay curves and the dependence of luminescence intensity on temperature were investigated. The phosphor can be efficiently excited by near UV light to realize an intense red luminescence (614 nm) corresponding to the electric dipole transition ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₂ of Eu³⁺ ions. The crystallographic site-occupations of the Eu³⁺ ions in Ca₉Eu(VO₄)₇ were investigated by the site-selective excitation and emission spectra, and the fluorescence decay curves in the ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₀ region using a pulsed, tunable, narrowband dye laser. The red luminescence together with the thermal stability was discussed on the base of the Eu³⁺ site-distribution in Ca₉Eu(VO₄)₇ host.