Full Length ArticleNew thermally stable red-emitting phosphors Pr3+, M+:SrB4O7 (M=Li, Na, K)

New red-emitting phosphors Pr3+, M+:SrB4O7 (M=Li, Na, K) in pure phase were synthesized via high-temperature solid-state reaction. Luminescent properties of those phosphors were characterized in detail. Pr3+, M+:SrB4O7 (M=Li, Na, K) can be excited under the range of 430-500 nm excitation, which covers the emission spectra of blue InGaN chip, exhibits pure red emission bands centered at 605 and 662 nm. The alkali-metal Li+, Na+, or K+ acting as charge compensators can improve fluorescent emission intensities of Pr3+ ions, and Pr3+, Na+:SrB4O7 shows the strongest emission intensities among those phosphors. Concentration quenching could be attributed to electric dipole-dipole interaction among Pr3+ ions. The temperature-dependent luminescence indicated Pr3+, Na+:SrB4O7 shows highly thermal stability. Those work suggests that Pr3+, M+:SrB4O7 (M=Li, Na, K) as thermally stable red-emitting phosphor might be potentially applied in WLED.