Flame aerosol deposition and annealing of Y3Al5O12:Tb phosphor coatings

Sub-micrometer-sized powders of Y3Al5O12:Tb phosphor (dSEM = 320 nm) were prepared by flame-assisted spray pyrolysis of aqueous precursors in a premixed propane/air flame and in situ deposited onto quartz substrates. Phosphor screens with densities of up to 0.7 mg cm−2 could be produced within 20 min. As-deposited coatings were amorphous and required a thermal post-treatment. After annealing in an oven for 2 h (T ≥ 900 °C), the yttrium aluminum garnet phase (YAG:Tb) was obtained. Alternatively, the phosphor coatings were treated by an impinging flame in the same setup used for the deposition. Quasi-amorphous Y3Al5O12:Tb coatings demonstrated bright green photoluminescence upon flame annealing at T ≈ 1100 °C for just several minutes and could outperform YAG:Tb when excited in the wavelength ranges 205–220 nm and 230–260 nm. For example, brightness of emission from the quasi-amorphous coatings was up to five times higher than that of the fully crystalline YAG:Tb phosphor at a technically important wavelength of 254 nm.

► Rapid deposition of Y3Al5O12:Tb phosphor screens was demonstrated.
► Particles produced by flame-assisted spray pyrolysis had perfect spherical shape.
► YAG phase was obtained after annealing at 900 °C for 2 h.
► Prompt annealing in a flame had a strong effect on photoluminescent properties.
► Quasi-amorphous phosphor outperformed YAG:Tb at certain excitation wavelengths.