Luminescence Properties and Energy Transfer of Ce3+,Tb3+‐Coactivatedβ‐SiAlON Phosphors

Using the solid‐state reaction method, Ce³⁺,Tb³⁺‐coactivated Si₅AlON₇ (Si_6?zAl_zO_zN_8?z, z = 1) phosphors were successfully synthesized. The obtained phosphors exhibit high absorption and strong excitation bands in the wavelength range of 240–440 nm, matching well with the light emitting‐diode (LED) chip. The ET from Ce³⁺ to Tb³⁺ ions in Si₅AlON₇:Ce³⁺,Tb³⁺ has been studied and demonstrated by the luminescence spectra and decay curves. Moreover, the phosphors show tunable emissions from blue to green by tuning the relative ratio of the Ce³⁺ to Tb³⁺ ions. Thermal quenching properties of Si₅AlON₇:Ce³⁺,Tb³⁺ had also been investigated and the quenching temperature is ~190°C. These results show that Si₅AlON₇:Ce³⁺,Tb³⁺ could be a promising candidate for a single‐phased color‐tunable phosphor applied in UV‐chip pumped LEDs.