White light emission and energy transfer in Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped aluminoborate glass

The Dy3+ single doped calcium aluminoborate glass (CaO–Al2O3–B2O3–Dy2O3) was synthesized by melt quenching method and the photoluminescence properties of Dy3+ were studied. Under UV-light excitation the CaO–Al2O3–B2O3–Dy2O3 glass shows a yellowish white light emission and the optimum content of Dy3+ in glass is found at 0.022 mol. For getting pure white light emission, the Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped glasses with the compositions of Ca0.978−yAlB:Dy3+0.022, Euy3+ (y = 0–0.0938 mol) have been synthesized and the chromatic coordinates were calculated from their emission spectra. The results showed that the white light has been achieved by exciting Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped glass with ultraviolet or blue light. The energy transfer phenomenon between Dy3+ and Eu3+ ions was validated in Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped glasses and the decay rates for 4F9/2 level of Dy3+ ions have been measured. The energy transfer probabilities (Pda) are linear with acceptor (Eu3+) contents in the range of 0–0.0563 mol, confirming the fact that the dipole–dipole interaction is responsible for the energy transfer (ET) process of Dy3+ → Eu3+.

► A new Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped calcium aluminoborate glass was synthesized.
► The luminescences and chromatic coordinates of glasses were investigated.
► White light emission is achieved by excited Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped glass with UV light.
► The energy transfer between Dy3+ and Eu3+ was validated.
► The electric dipole–dipole interaction is responsible for the ET process of Dy3+ → Eu3+.