Single-phase white-emitting phosphors Ba3Ce(1−x−y)(PO4)3:xTb3+,yMn2+ and Ba3Ce(1−x−z)(PO4)3:xTb3+,zSm3+: structure, luminescence, energy transfer and thermal stability

Abstract

A series of Ba₃Ce_(1−x−y)(PO₄)₃:xTb³⁺,yMn²⁺ and Ba₃Ce_(1−x−z)(PO₄)₃:xTb³⁺,zSm³⁺ phosphors were synthesized by a high temperature solid-state reaction. X-ray diffraction, luminescence and decay curves were used to characterize the phosphors. All the synthesized phosphors crystallized in the cubic unit cell with I3d space group. Energy can be transferred from Ce³⁺ to Tb³⁺/Mn²⁺/Sm³⁺ in Ba₃Ce_(1−x)(PO₄)₃:xTb³⁺, Ba₃Ce_(1−y)(PO₄)₃:yMn²⁺, and Ba₃Ce_(1−z)(PO₄)₃:zSm³⁺ phosphors. Furthermore, the color of these phosphors can turn from cyan to green, blue to red, and cyan to pale pink. When Ba₃Ce(PO₄)₃ was co-doped with Tb³⁺ and Mn²⁺/Sm³⁺, Tb³⁺ could also transfer part of its energy to Mn²⁺/Sm³⁺, and more importantly, a white emission can be achieved based on this energy transfer. The phosphors exhibited a good thermal stability, with correlated color temperatures of up to 3301 K, and a quantum efficiency as high as 51.2%. These results revealed that we managed to obtain good white emitting phosphors by co-doping Ba₃Ce(PO₄)₃ with Tb³⁺ and Mn²⁺/Sm³⁺.