Luminescence performance and energy transfer mechanism investigation of RE3+ (Eu3+/Tb3+/Ce3+)-doped Y2O3 phosphors

Abstract

Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺,Ce³⁺ phosphors were prepared by the co-precipitation method and the optimal component formulations of the samples were determined by a combination of controlled variable method and orthogonal experiments. The experimental results show that doping with appropriate amounts of Tb³⁺ and Ce³⁺ significantly improved the luminescence performance of Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ phosphors. In the Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺,Tb³⁺,Ce³⁺ phosphors system, Tb³⁺ could be used as a carrier to transfer energy for Ce³⁺–Eu³⁺, eliminating the presence of metal–metal charge transfer (MMCT) between the two ions. The direction of energy transfer which is from Ce³⁺ → Tb³⁺ → Eu³⁺ has been confirmed by emission spectrum and calculation results show that the mechanism of Tb³⁺ to Eu³⁺ energy transfer and Ce³⁺ to Tb³⁺ energy transfer in Y₂O₃ matrix are both quaternary–quaternary interactions. As the doping concentration of Tb³⁺ and Ce³⁺ increases, the emission peak position of phosphor was shifted toward the blue region. Their structure and micromorphology have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, the test results show that ion doping does not cause changes in the crystal structure of Y₂O₃ and the samples are approximately spherical in shape. This work provides a new idea to study the UV detection and multi-ion inter-energy transfer model.