Y3−xMg2AlSi2O12:Cex3+ phosphors – prospective for warm-white light emitting diodes

Y3−xMg2AlSi2O12:Cex3+ (YMASG:Ce) phosphors were synthesized by sol–gel combustion technique at different temperatures from 1400 to 1550 °C. Samples with x = 0.015, 0.03, 0.045, and 0.06 were fabricated and characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence spectroscopy, and fluorescence lifetime measurements in frequency domain. XRD patterns confirmed single-phase garnet crystal structure for all the samples independently of their substitutional level and annealing temperature. In respect to Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ (YAG:Ce) phosphor, which was synthesized for comparison by a different sol–gel procedure, the photoluminescence band of these garnets is red shifted, indicating a prospective for application of this novel phosphor in warm-white light emitting diodes (LEDs). The luminescence decays bi-exponentially. The main component has a characteristic decay time decreasing from 72 to of 50 ns with increasing sintering temperature and cerium content, while ∼2% of the excitation decays with a characteristic decay time of ∼8 ns.