Combustion synthesis and photoluminescence properties of a novel Eu3+ doped lithium alumino-borate phosphor

A series of red emitting Li2EuxAl2(1−x)B2O7 (LABO) (x=0.001, 0.002, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02) phosphors were prepared by a solution combustion technique. The structure and surface morphology of synthesized phosphors were characterized by powder XRD and SEM and their photoluminescent properties under UV excitation were also investigated. The results indicate that phosphors are suitable for excitation under UV light at 254 nm. The dominant transition of Eu3+ in LABO is the electric dipole transition 5D0→7F2 with the red emission around 616 nm. Eu3+ ions occupy both Al3+ and Li2+ sites in LABO. The optimum concentration for Eu3+ sites in LABO was observed to be 1 mol%. The photoluminescent excitation and emission spectra indicate the excellent red emitting property of Li2Al2B2O7:Eu3+ phosphors due to the characteristic transitions of Eu3+ from 5D0→7Fj (j=0, 1, 2, 3, and 4).