The crystal structure and luminescence of Ce3+, Tb3+ and Eu3+ in KBaLn3+(BO3)2 [Ln3+ = Sc, Y, Lu, Gd]

• Spectroscopic properties of Ce3+, Tb3+ and Eu3+ in KBaLn3+(BO3)2 (Ln = Sc, Y, Lu, Gd) are examined.
• The structure of KBaLn3+(BO3)2 [Ln3+ = Sc, Lu, Gd] was solved by Rietveld refinement.
• The invariance of the optical properties with Ln3+ ion is discussed.

The structure of KBaLn3+(BO3)2 [Ln3+ = Sc, Lu, Gd] was solved by Rietveld refinement of the powder X-ray diffraction data. The materials crystallize with the mineral Buetschliite [K2Ca(CO3)2] structure. The lattice parameters of KBaLn3+(BO3)2 [Ln3+ = Sc, Lu, Gd] increased with increasing ionic radius of the Ln3+ cation. In this structure, the Ln3+ cations are octahedrally coordinated. The phase formation region is dependent on the ionic radii of the Ln3+ cation. The optical properties of Ce3+, Tb3+ and Eu3+ and their dependence on the host lattice composition are investigated and discussed. It is noteworthy that the optical properties of these ions are independent of the Ln3+ cation in KBaLn3+(BO3)2. It is concluded that in this family of materials, the crystalline field strength and the covalence at the rare earth site is independent of the host lattice composition.