The influence of oxygen partial pressure on material properties of Eu3+-doped Y2O2S thin film deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Eu3+-doping has been of interest to improve the luminescent characteristics of thin-film phosphors. Y2O2S:Eu3+ films have been grown on Si (100) substrates by using a Pulsed Laser Deposition technique. The thin films grown under different oxygen deposition pressure conditions have been characterized using structural and luminescent measurements. The X-ray diffraction patterns showed mixed phases of cubic and hexagonal crystal structures. As the oxygen partial pressure increased, the crystallinity of the films improved. Further increase of the O2 pressure to 140 mtorr reduced the crystallinity of the film. Similarly, both scanning electron microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy confirmed that an increase in O2 pressure affected the morphology of the films. The average band gap of the films calculated from diffuse reflectance spectra using the Kubelka–Munk function was about 4.75 eV. The photoluminescence measurements indicated red emission of Y2O2S:Eu3+ thin films with the most intense peak appearing at 619 nm, which is assigned to the 5D0–7F2 transition of Eu3+. This most intense peak was totally quenched at higher O2 pressures. This phosphor may be a promising material for applications in the flat panel displays.