A red emitting of manganese-doped boron carbon oxynitride (BCNO) phosphor materials: facile approach and photoluminescence properties

Abstract

BCNO (boron carbon oxynitride) phosphors have attracted attention due to their non toxicity, simple synthesis process, and high quantum efficiency. However, the tunable emission, particularly a red emission, is still challenging to achieve. In the present study, a bright red emission (emission wavelength 620 nm under 365 nm UV excitation) of a manganese-doped BCNO (BCNO:Mn) phosphor synthesized by a solid state method is reported. Without Mn-doping, the BCNO phosphor exhibited a bright blue emission that can be ascribed to the closed-shell BO⁻ and BO²⁻ anions that act as luminescence center. Via Mn-doping, a red emission was exhibited that can be ascribed to the ⁴T₁(⁴G) → ⁶A₁(⁶S) transition from a new luminescence center of Mn²⁺ incorporated into the BCNO host lattice. The optimum red PL properties (λ_em: 611 nm, λ_ex: 365 nm) were obtained with BCNO:Mn at a molar ratio of Mn/B at 0.71% mol/mol synthesized at 550 °C. We believe that the BCNO:Mn is a promising red-emitting phosphor for white light diodes.