The luminescent enhancement of LaPO4:Ce3+,Tb3+ nano phosphors by radial aggregation

The rare earth nano phosphors can meet the challenging demand for new functional devices but their luminescence is always poor. Here we report on a simple method to prepare uniform LaPO₄:Ce³⁺,Tb³⁺ sphere-like nano aggregates from the precipitated nano phosphor crystallites without using any additive. The spontaneous aggregation is induced and controlled only by the suspension pH conditions. It is found that the 100 nm spherical aggregates can significantly improve the green emissions of the LaPO₄:Ce³⁺,Tb³⁺ nano particles. The intensity of the aggregates can be about 10 times as that of the 80 nm-sized individual ones. This study may provide a useful yet convenient strategy in the improvement and application of nano phosphors.