Synthesis and characterisation of terbium activated yttrium tantalate phosphor

Terbium activated yttrium tantalate (YTaO4:Tb) samples were prepared by solid-state reaction from homogeneous mixtures of Y2O3 and Ta2O5 for host-lattice formation, Tb4O7 or Tb(NO3)3·5H2O as activator source and Li2SO4, Na2SO4, CsF, Na4P2O7 or Na2B4O7 as flux. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy revealed that PL properties are influenced by the degree of crystalline order and particle morphology and sizes regulated during the thermal synthesis. The effect of flux and terbium concentration on the morpho-structural characteristics and PL properties of YTaO4:Tb powder is reported.